- 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
- Cube
- Atoms
- 16 (C × 8, H × 8)
Symmetry elements of C₈H₈
- C₄ (x) — through the centres of two opposite faces
- C₄ (y) — through the centres of two opposite faces
- C₄ (z) — through the centres of two opposite faces
- C₃ (1) — through two opposite corners
- C₃ (2) — through two opposite corners
- C₃ (3) — through two opposite corners
- C₃ (4) — through two opposite corners
- C₂′ (1) — through the midpoints of two opposite edges
- C₂′ (2) — through the midpoints of two opposite edges
- C₂′ (3) — through the midpoints of two opposite edges
- C₂′ (4) — through the midpoints of two opposite edges
- C₂′ (5) — through the midpoints of two opposite edges
- C₂′ (6) — through the midpoints of two opposite edges
- i — centre of inversion
- σh (yz) — parallel to two faces, halfway between them
- σh (xz) — parallel to two faces, halfway between them
- σh (xy) — parallel to two faces, halfway between them
- σd (1) — through two opposite edges
- σd (2) — through two opposite edges
- σd (3) — through two opposite edges
- σd (4) — through two opposite edges
- σd (5) — through two opposite edges
- σd (6) — through two opposite 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
- C–C 1.571 Å, C–H 1.10 Å
- C–C–C 90° (highly strained)
- Eight equivalent CH corners
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 hexafluoride[B₆H₆]²⁻closo-Hexahydridohexaborate ionCr(CO)₆Chromium hexacarbonyl