Planar Molecules

Planar Molecules:

These constitute an important class of molecules characterized by having all of the atoms lying in a common plane which will be a symmetry element. We will consider the following four molecules:

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Formaldehyde



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t-Glyoxal



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Ethene



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Benzene



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We will use each of these molecules to demonstrate the identification of symmetry elements.

(a) Formaldehyde, H₂CO:

(b) Trans-Glyoxal: OHCCHO:

(c) Ethene: H2C=CH2:

(d) Benzene - C₆H₆: