What are aromatic hydrocarbons?

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What are aromatic hydrocarbons?

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Answer 1 · 2015-05-07T22:35:48

An aromatic hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon that contains $4 n + 2$ $4n+2$ electrons in a planar conjugated π system ( $n = 0, 1, 2, \dots$ $n = 0, 1, 2, …$ ).

The most common aromatic compounds contain benzene rings ( $n = 1$ $n = 1$ ).

preparatorychemistry.com

Examples are toluene and trinitrotoluene (TNT).

hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu

But any planar cyclic hydrocarbon that contains 2, 6, 10, 14 … π electrons is aromatic.

Examples are naphthalene (10 π electrons) and phenanthrene (14 π electrons).

The ring doesn't have to contain a 6-membered ring, as long as it is planar contains $4 n + 2$ $4n+2$ π electrons

Thus, [18]annulene is aromatic. It is planar and possesses $4 n + 2$ $4n+2$ π electrons (with $n = 4$ $n = 4$ ).

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What are aromatic hydrocarbons?

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