14.5k views
3 votes
Why are benzene rings more stable than alkenes?

User Ranoiaetep
by
5.6k points

1 Answer

6 votes
The six carbon atoms form a perfectly regular hexagon. All of the carbon-carbon bonds have exactly the same lengths - somewhere between single and double bonds. There are delocalized electrons above and below the plane of the ring, which makes benzene particularly stable.
User Brettsam
by
5.4k points