Question

draw the structures of benzene

Answer 1

The structures of benzene are:

1. Kekulé structures (resonance forms): A hexagon with alternating single and double bonds.

   C1=CC=CC=C1 (One Kekulé structure)
   

   C1C=CC=C1 (Another Kekulé structure)
   

2. Resonance hybrid structure: A hexagon with an inscribed circle. This is the most accurate representation of the delocalized pi electrons.

Answer 2

Benzene is an aromatic organic compound with the chemical formula C₆H₆. Its structure is a six-carbon ring, where each carbon atom is bonded to one hydrogen atom. The carbons are sp² hybridized, forming a planar hexagonal ring. The pi electrons are delocalized over the entire ring, leading to its characteristic aromatic stability.

There are two common ways to represent the structure of benzene:

1. Kekulé structure: This shows alternating single and double bonds within the hexagon. Due to resonance, the actual structure is a hybrid of two such forms.

2. Resonance hybrid structure: This is the most accurate representation, showing a hexagon with an inscribed circle, which symbolizes the delocalized pi electrons.

Benzene (C₆H₆) is a cyclic, planar molecule with six carbon atoms forming a hexagonal ring. Each carbon atom is sp² hybridized, forming three sigma bonds: one with a hydrogen atom and two with adjacent carbon atoms. The remaining unhybridized p-orbitals on each carbon atom overlap laterally to form a continuous delocalized pi electron cloud above and below the plane of the ring. This delocalization of 6 pi electrons (which satisfies Hückel's rule of 4n+2 for n=1) is responsible for benzene's high stability and aromaticity. The Kekulé structures are two resonance contributors, while the circle within the hexagon represents the actual resonance hybrid.