Describe the shape of and bonding in a molecule of benzine. Explain why benzene doesn't readily undergo reactions.

Flat 6-membered ring with 6 carbons. Each carbon in bonded two 1 hydrogen and 2 other carbons. Because a carbon must always have 4 bonds, there is a delocalised fourth electron on each carbon, which moves around the molecule. This causes all six spare p-orbitals overlap and all six of the delocalised electrons move freely within the overlapping orbitals. The angle between all the bonds is 120 degrees, giving benzene the shape of a hexagon. This has been confirmed by microscopy. The delocalized electron accounts for benzene's stability, addition reactions would break the delocalization and are not energetically favourable, thus it does not readily undergo reactions.

MZ
Answered by Michal Z. Chemistry tutor

3227 Views

See similar Chemistry A Level tutors

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

What's added to Ethanoyl Chloride to make Methyl Ethanoate? Draw out the mechanism for this reaction. Why is this preferred to esterification?


How to write a redox equation from half equations


A 1000 cm3 container of ammonia (NH3) has a mass of 20.7g, it is stored at room temperature (298 K). When empty the container has a mass of 20.0 g, calculate the pressure inside the container in kPa to an appropriate number of significant figures.


What are the differences between covalent and ionic bonding?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning