Benzene is a cyclic hydrocarbon with six carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms
The six carbon atoms are arranged in a planar hexagonal ring. Each carbon atom is bonded to two other carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom
The shape around each carbon atom is trigonal planar and has a bond angle of 120 degrees
Each carbon atom has four outer shell electrons. Three of these electrons bond to two other carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom. The three bonds in this plane are called sigma bonds. This leaves a fourth outer shell electron in a 2p orbital above and below the plane of the carbon atoms.
The electron in a p-orbital of a carbon atom overlaps with the electrons in the p-orbitals of the carbon atoms on either side. This results in a ring of electron density above and below the plane of the carbon atoms
The overlap produce a system of pi-bonds which spread over all six carbon atoms there fore the p electrons are now said to be delocalised

	Created by gina.mccombe about 9 years ago

Slide Set on Arene Notes, created by gina.mccombe on 06/10/2015.