Atomic Structure of Benzene Which Accounts for Resonance Energy

Abstract

Benzene is a hexagonal molecule of six carbon atoms, each of which is bound to six hydrogen atoms. The equality of all six CC bond lengths, despite the alternating double and single bonds, and the surplus (resonance) energy, led to the suggestion of two resonanting structures. Here, the new atomic structure shows that the bond length equality is due to three carbon atoms with double bond radii bound to three other carbon atoms with resonance bond radii (as in graphene). Consequently, there are two kinds of CH bonds of slightly different lengths. The bond energies account for the resonance energy.