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The molecule benzyne \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{6} \mathrm{H}_{4}\right)\) is a very reactive species. It resembles benzene in that it has a sixmembered ring of carbon atoms. Draw a Lewis structure of the molecule and account for the molecule's high reactivity.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Benzyne (C6H4) has a 6-membered ring similar to benzene. However, two of the carbon atoms in benzyne have unpaired electrons (free radicals) that induces high reactivity. Thus, the molecule is highly reactive as it participates in reactions to stabilize these unpaired electrons.

Step by step solution

01

Creating the Lewis Structure

Begin by noting the number of valence electrons. Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons and Hydrogen (H) has 1. Given the molecular formula C6H4, the molecule has a total of 28 electrons. Start by drawing a structure where each Carbon atom is bonded to its neighbors forming a 6-membered ring. Then ensure each Carbon Atomic has four bonds by placing the remaining four Hydrogens such that there is no Hydrogen on two successive Carbon atoms. The remaining unpaired electrons represent the extra electrons, showing the molecule's reactive nature.
02

Explaining the High Reactivity

The molecule's high reactivity can be attributed to the non-bonding electrons in the molecule. Normally, carbon binds to four other atoms in organic compounds, but two carbon atoms in this compound have only three bonds, which means they each have an unpaired electron. These unpaired electrons, termed as free radicals, makes it highly reactive. This leads to the molecule readily participating in reactions to achieve stable electron configurations.

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