Symmetry Lab › Oh › closo-Hexahydridohexaborate ion
[B₆H₆]²⁻ closo-Hexahydridohexaborate ion
Octahedron of BH units · point group Oh · order 48
- 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](/molecular-symmetry/infographics/B6H62-_closoHexahydridohexaborateion_Oh.png)
Other Oh molecules
[Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺ (N atoms shown)Hexaamminecobalt(III) ion[Fe(H₂O)₆]³⁺ (O atoms shown)Hexaaquairon(III) ion[PtCl₆]²⁻Hexachloroplatinate(IV) ion[AlF₆]³⁻Hexafluoroaluminate ion[SbF₆]⁻Hexafluoroantimonate ionPF₆⁻Hexafluorophosphate ionSiF₆²⁻Hexafluorosilicate ionSeF₆Selenium hexafluorideSF₆Sulfur hexafluorideUF₆Uranium hexafluorideCr(CO)₆Chromium hexacarbonyl[Co(CN)₆]³⁻Hexacyanocobaltate(III) ion