Symmetry, absorbtion and benzene

[evidenso]

Hey
Is it right that high symmetry molecules does not absorb light as good as low symmetry molecules? let's take an example like benzene versus benzene+hydroxyl?

 

[GCT]

Depends on which atom or functional group you're are referring to ; if it's the same functional group I would imagine that a symmetric attachment would be less of an influence with an electric dipole .

 

[quicknote]

Thank you for your question. The relationship between symmetry and light absorption is a complex one and cannot be generalized for all molecules. While it is generally true that molecules with higher symmetry tend to have lower absorption, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, benzene, which has a high degree of symmetry, is known to have strong absorption in the ultraviolet region due to its delocalized pi-electron system. On the other hand, molecules with lower symmetry, such as benzene+hydroxyl, may have weaker absorption because the presence of the hydroxyl group can disrupt the delocalization of electrons.

Furthermore, the absorption of a molecule also depends on factors such as the energy of the incident light, molecular structure, and electronic transitions. Therefore, it is not accurate to say that high symmetry molecules always have lower absorption than low symmetry molecules.

In conclusion, while symmetry can play a role in the light absorption of a molecule, it is not the only determining factor. Further investigation and analysis would be needed to fully understand the relationship between symmetry and light absorption in different molecules.