It helps in the explanation of the reactivity of the compounds.It can be seen in various compounds and molecules, including Benzene, Nitrobenzene, etc. It imparts stability to the chemical structures of various compounds by altering the position of the double bonds present in them.Resonance is an essential organic chemistry phenomenon that helps understand the various chemical structures of compounds, radicals, ions, etc.The valence gets filled, and the positive charge on the carbon atom gets cancelled. Thus, the reconfiguration of electrons takes place to make double bonds with the carbon molecule.

The carbon atoms are required to share electrons to satisfy the octet rule and thus, attain a certain level of stability. As carbonate ions come into contact with acid, carbonic acid is produced, a crucial ingredient in aerated drinks.Ģ out of 24 electrons of the Carbonate ion have the -2 charge. This technique is used for making cakes, bread, etc. During cooking, it releases carbon dioxide and makes the food contents aerated, making them fluffy and soft. It is a polyatomic ion generally found in baking powder or baking soda. The resonance structure of Carbonate ionĬarbonate ion is greatly useful in the chemical field and widely used for cooking. These orbitals have a nodal plane in the molecular plane. As a result, the bonds get stronger than the C-C sigma bonds (in the previous structure).Īnother way can be to delocalise the 3 double bonds in the hybrid structure towards the right side and then represent 6 molecules in the 3 molecular orbits. There can be two possible resonance structures in Benzene – one of them by delocalising the pi-electrons around the ring structure of the Benzene. It is a cyclic structure made of alternating single and double bonds between carbon atoms. Chemical Structures to Understand Resonance The resonance structure of Benzeneīenzene (C 6 H 6 ) is an essential hydrocarbon for studying organic chemistry.

Here also, the position of the double bond gets altered to impart better stability to the entire structure. You can also take the example of the Allylic radical. In this anion, the location of the double bond gets changed to provide more stability to the structure. Let us take the example of the carboxylate anion. It takes place in unsaturated systems due to the delocalisation of electrons. All the resonance structures are required to have the same energy. The pi-electron positions or the nonbonding electron positions are responsible for the change of positions of an atom. It occurs in the presence of a nonbonding electron or when a pi-bond is changing positions. It also refers to a way of explaining and representing delocalised electrons in some molecules, where the Lewis structure does not provide a satisfactory explanation. It also describes the covalent bonding in some chemical compounds like Benzene, Ozone, etc. This mesomerism helps enhance the compound’s stability, thus reducing its reactivity. Resonance, also known as mesomerism, refers to the shuffling or rotation of the double bonds in some compounds. Definition and Examples of Resonance in Compounds The valence bond theory generally uses them to explain the chemical bonding between elements. They play a crucial role in chemistry and help in understanding the structures of many molecules in a better way. Several contributing factors or the contributing structures play an essential role in the resonance o f a structure – these are also called the canonical or resonance structures. Resonance is the phenomenon of describing bonds in polyatomic ions and certain molecules after merging the contributory structures.

Resonance in chemistry