benzene (C6H6), simplest organic, aromatic hydrocarbon and parent compound of numerous important aromatic compounds. Benzene is a colourless liquid with a characteristic odour and is primarily used in the production of polystyrene. It is highly toxic and is a known carcinogen; exposure to it may cause leukemia.
Is benzene is aromatic or not?
Benzene is an aromatic hydrocarbon because it obeys Hückel's rule. ... It is now considered aromatic because it obeys Hückel's rule: 4n+2 = number of π electrons in the hydrocarbon, where n must be an integer. In the case of benzene, we have 3 π bonds (6 electrons), so 4n+2=6 .
Are all benzene compounds aromatic?
Not all aromatic compounds are benzene-based; aromaticity can also manifest in heteroarenes, which follow Hückel's rule (for monocyclic rings: when the number of its π electrons equals 4n + 2, where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, ...).
