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Symmetry Lab › Oh › closo-Hexahydridohexaborate ion

[B₆H₆]²⁻ closo-Hexahydridohexaborate ion

Octahedron of BH units · point group Oh · order 48

Open [B₆H₆]²⁻ in 3D →

Point group
Oh — The full symmetry of a regular octahedron or cube: three C4 axes, four C3 axes, six C2 axes, a centre of inversion and nine mirror planes.
Order
48
Operations
E, 8C₃, 6C₂′, 6C₄, 3C₂, i, 6S₄, 8S₆, 3σh, 6σd
Shape
Octahedron of BH units
Atoms
12 (B × 6, H × 6)

Symmetry elements of [B₆H₆]²⁻

  • C₄ (x) — through two opposite B–H
  • C₄ (y) — through two opposite B–H
  • C₄ (z) — through two opposite B–H
  • C₃ (1) — through the centres of two opposite triangular faces
  • C₃ (2) — through the centres of two opposite triangular faces
  • C₃ (3) — through the centres of two opposite triangular faces
  • C₃ (4) — through the centres of two opposite triangular faces
  • C₂′ (1) — through the midpoints of two opposite B–B edges
  • C₂′ (2) — through the midpoints of two opposite B–B edges
  • C₂′ (3) — through the midpoints of two opposite B–B edges
  • C₂′ (4) — through the midpoints of two opposite B–B edges
  • C₂′ (5) — through the midpoints of two opposite B–B edges
  • C₂′ (6) — through the midpoints of two opposite B–B edges
  • i — centre of inversion
  • σh (yz) — contains four B atoms
  • σh (xz) — contains four B atoms
  • σh (xy) — contains four B atoms
  • σd (1) — contains two B atoms and bisects two edges
  • σd (2) — contains two B atoms and bisects two edges
  • σd (3) — contains two B atoms and bisects two edges
  • σd (4) — contains two B atoms and bisects two edges
  • σd (5) — contains two B atoms and bisects two edges
  • σd (6) — contains two B atoms and bisects two edges
  • S₄ (x) — rotate 90°, then reflect
  • S₄ (y) — rotate 90°, then reflect
  • S₄ (z) — rotate 90°, then reflect
  • S₆ (1) — rotate 60°, then reflect
  • S₆ (2) — rotate 60°, then reflect
  • S₆ (3) — rotate 60°, then reflect
  • S₆ (4) — rotate 60°, then reflect

Structure

  • B–B 1.69 Å, B–H 1.18 Å
  • Every boron on an octahedron vertex
  • A closo cluster: 7 skeletal electron pairs for 6 vertices
closo-Hexahydridohexaborate ion ([B6H6]2-) — Oh symmetry elements
closo-Hexahydridohexaborate ion: symmetry elements of the Oh point group

Other Oh molecules

Open in the 3D lab →  ·  All Oh molecules  ·  All point groups