1,3-Cyclobutadiene is a rectangular molecule with two short double bonds and two long single bonds. Why are the two rectangles below not resonance forms ?
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Question

1,3-Cyclobutadiene is a rectangular molecule with two short double bonds and two long single bonds. Why are the two rectangles below not resonance forms ? ⟷

TestHub · Accepted Answer

Resonance forms differ only in the placement of electrons, with the same nuclear positions. In the two rectangles the short and long sides are exchanged, so the nuclei occupy different positions. They are two distinct structures (two forms of the compound that interconvert), not contributors to a hybrid.

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