Question

Which of the following characteristics should an aromatic compound exhibit?

• A. It should have $(4n+2)\pi$-electrons in the ring
• B. It should be planar and conjugated
• C. It should have $4n\pi$-electrons in the ring
• D. It should possess high resonance energy

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (D)

The correct options are
A It should have $(4n+2)\pi$-electrons in the ring
B It should be planar and conjugated
D It should possess high resonance energy

Four Criteria for Aromaticity

When deciding if a compound is aromatic, go through the following checklist. If the compound does not meet all the following criteria, it is likely not aromatic.

1. The molecule is cyclic (a ring of atoms)
2. The molecule is planar (all atoms in the molecule lie in the same plane)
3. The molecule is fully conjugated (p orbitals at every atom in the ring)
4. The molecule has 4n+2π electrons (n=0 or any positive integer)
5. Hence options A,B & D are correct.