I can't find the difference. In the ACS guide it doesn't explain them as different but in destroyer it says they are. Can some one please explain?
Aromatic compounds are cyclic, conjugated polyenes with planar configuration. They follow Huckel's rule (meaning that they must have 4n + 2 pi electrons (n = any nonnegative integer)). So for example benzene is aromatic because it has 6 pi electrons (n = 1). Antiaromatic compounds are cyclic, conjugated polyenes with planar configuration, that have 4n pi electrons..
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I guess i just don't understand huckel's rule the 4n+2... Where do you get the "n" from???Aromatic compounds are cyclic, conjugated polyenes with planar configuration. They follow Huckel's rule (meaning that they must have 4n + 2 pi electrons (n = any nonnegative integer)). So for example benzene is aromatic because it has 6 pi electrons (n = 1). Antiaromatic compounds are cyclic, conjugated polyenes with planar configuration, that have 4n pi electrons..
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Oh sorry, I forgot to explain non-aromatic compounds. They are conjugated polyenes that do not fall into the category of aromatic or antiaromatic. Either because they do not possess either 4n + 2 or 4n pi electrons, or because they are not planar or completely conjugated. So for example cyclooctatetrane (conjugated 8 member ring) is non-aromatic because even though it has 4n electrons, it is not planar.
The best way to get n is to start by counting how many pi electrons there are in the compound. (Double bonds and electron pairs count for 2, heterocyclic atoms are a bit trickier). Then take the number of pi electrons in the compound subtract 2 and then divide by 4. That will give you n, if it is a positive integer or zero, then the compound is aromatic.