Chapter 9, Problem 9.18A

APPLY 9.18 Benzene (C₆H₆) has two resonance structures meaning each carbon-carbon bond is equivalent, with a bond strength between a single C — C bond and double C=C.

Estimate the carbon-carbon bond strength in benzene given:

$2C_6{H}_6(g)+{\text{15O}}_{\text{2}}(g)\to {\text{12CO}}_{\text{2}}(g)+6H_{2}O(g)$

$\Delta H°$= -6339 kJ

Bond dissociation data can be found in Table 7.2. (The strength of the O=O bond in O₂ is 498 kJ/mol, and that of a C=O bond in CO₂ is 804 kJ/mol.)