Quantitative approach to hückel rule the relations between the cycles of a molecular graph and the thermodynamic stability of a conjugated molecule

Abstract

Contribution of the rings to the total π-electron energy (CE) is calculated for a number of polycyclic conjugated hydrocarbons. The Hückel 4m+2 rule is tested quantitatively in this way. It is shown that (4m)-membered rings always destabilize, while (4m + 2)-membered rings almost always stabilize the molecule. The magnitude of this effect is, however, subject to considerable variations. The main factors which determine the magnitude of CE are discussed. Examples of the alternant hydrocarbons are found for which the (4m + 2)-membered cycles have a destabilizing effect, and therefore violate the Hückel rule. The odd membered cycles are shown to have a negligibly small effect on the stability of the conjugated molecules.