Exercises in Molecular Symmetry

In each of the following examples you will find a 3D (rotatable/translatable) image of a molecule. The atom positions have been calculated using Gaussian 98 (B3LYP/631G(d)). For some molecules we have provided two views: View A shows all multiple bonds, View B shows no multiple bonds for clarity

  1. B2H6
  2. trans - N2F2: View A or View B
  3. cis - N2F2: View A or View B
  4. N2: View A or View B
  5. Benzene (C6H6): View A or View B
  6. Staggered Ferrocene Fe(C5H5)2: View A or View B
  7. Eclipsed Ferrocene Fe(C5H5)2: View A or View B
  8. trans - C2H2Cl2: View A or View B
  9. cis - C2H2Cl2: View A or View B
  10. fac - [Co(HOCH2CH2NH2) 3]
  11. Cr(CO)6: View A or View B
  1. [Co(NH3)5Cl]2+ ion
  2. [Co(H2NCH2CH2NH2) 3]3+ ion
  3. trans - [Co(NH3)4Cl2]+ ion
  4. PCl5
  5. CO2: View A or View B
  6. CHFClBr
  7. C2H4: View A or View B
  8. [B12H12]2- ion
  9. HCN: View A or View B
  10. Eclipsed Ethane C2H6

Extra Problems

  1. ClF3
  2. BrF5
  3. cis- Ni(NH3)2Cl2
  4. trans - Ni(NH3)2Cl2
  5. SF4
  6. B(OH)3
  7. Cr(C5H5)Cl3: View A or View B
  8. C6H5F: View A or View B
  9. ortho - C6H4F2: View A or View B
  1. 1,3,5 -trifluorobenzene C6H3F3: View A or View B
  2. S8
  3. CH4
  4. CH3Cl
  5. CH2Cl2
  6. CHCl3
  7. CCl4

Tutorial Exercises

  1. H2O2
  2. SO2Cl2: View A or View B
  3. [Ni(CN)4]2-: View A or View B
  4. [C5H5]- : View A or View B
  5. Staggered Ethane (C2H6)

Animated Vibrational Modes for Selected Molecules

  1. CO2: (highest to lowest energy) Asymmetric Stretch , Symmetric Stretch , Symmetric Bend(Doubly Degenerate)
  2. CS2: (highest to lowest energy) Asymmetric Stretch , Symmetric Stretch , Symmetric Bend(Doubly Degenerate)
  3. H2O: (highest to lowest energy) Asymmetric Stretch , Symmetric Stretch , Symmetric Bend
  4. NH3: (highest to lowest energy) ν3(Doubly Degenerate), ν1(NonDegenerate), ν4(Doubly Degenerate), and ν2(NonDegenerate)
  5. CH4: (highest to lowest energy) ν3(Triply Degenerate), ν1(NonDegenerate), ν2(Doubly Degenerate), and ν4(Triply Degenerate)
  6. CCl4: (highest to lowest energy) ν3(Triply Degenerate), ν1(NonDegenerate), ν4(Triply Degenerate), and ν2(Doubly Degenerate)