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To view the structures below, you will need to download the MDL Chime plug-in for your browser - this technology is used primarily to display protein structures and other biological molecules so it may be useful to have on your computer for purposes other than this course.  To get this, you must register at the site and provide them with an e-mail address (do not worry, this is a respectable company).  Follow the given instructions to install the plug-in (if you have trouble, some details are provided by this site at Scripps, otherwise you can come and ask me for some assistance) and check that it is working by visiting this site.  When it is working, you should be able to rotate the 3D molecules by left-clicking on the picture and dragging your cursor in the desired direction.  You can right-click on the picture to change the way it is displayed (e.g. sticks, balls and sticks, space-filling etc. - I suggest that you change the display to "ball and stick" so that it looks like the models that I have shown you in class).  Use these models to determine the point group symmetry of the molecules that are listed below.  The correct answers are given here.

 

Allene

 

Arsenic pentafluoride

 

Benzene

 

Borane

 

Eclipsed C2F2Cl2Br2

 

Staggered C2F2Cl2Br2

 

Cyclopentadienide anion

 

Cyclohexane

 

Carbon dioxide

 

Carbon monoxide

 

Dichloromethane

 

Methane

 

Chloroform

 

Dichlorofluoromethane

 

Bromochorofluoromethane

 

Cis-hydrogen peroxide

 

Non-planar hydrogen peroxide

 

Trans-hydrogen peroxide

 

Eclipsed borocenium cation

 

Staggered borocenium cation

 

Plumbocene

 

CpPb cation

 

 Ethane

 

Dinitrogen

 

Ammonia

 

Ni(CH2)4

 

Nickel tetrachloride

 

Trimethylamine (less symmetric)

 

Trimethylamine (more symmetric)

 

Phosphate

 

Trans-bromochlorotetrafluoroantimonate anion

 

Hexafluoroantimonate anion

 

Water

 

Diamond Lattice