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| Introduction |
| Symmetry Elements |
| · Proper Rotation Axis |
| · Mirror Plane |
| · Inversion Centre |
| · Improper Rotation Axis |
| · Identity |
| Point Group Gallery |
| Spotting a Chiral Compound |
| · Part I - Mirror Planes |
| · Part II - Inversion Centre |
| · Part III - Improper Rotation |
| · Summary & Conclusion |
| WSM Homepage |
Molecular Symmetry and Chirality
Proper Rotation Axis
Note: viewing the structures on these pages requires use of
the MDL Chime Plug-In.
The Cn operation rotates a molecule about an axis by 360º/n.
If the configuration of a molecule is unchanged as a result of this rotation, the molecule has a Cn axis.
There will often be multiple rotation axes, with different n values. The axis with highest value of n is the called the principal axis.
C2 axes perpendicular to the principal Cn are called C2' axes.
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H2O has a C2 rotation axis.
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1,3,5-Trichlorobenzene has a principal C3 rotation axis, and 3 C2' axes perpendicular to the C3.
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This page is maintained and copyright by W. Stephen McNeil at UBC Okanagan.
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