Symmetry Lab › Td › Tetrahedrane
C₄H₄ Tetrahedrane
Tetrahedron of CH units · point group Td · order 24
- Point group
- Td — The full symmetry of a regular tetrahedron: four C3 axes, three C2 axes (each also an S4 axis) and six dihedral mirror planes. There is no centre of inversion.
- Order
- 24
- Operations
- E, 8C₃, 3C₂, 6S₄, 6σd
- Shape
- Tetrahedron of CH units
- Atoms
- 8 (C × 4, H × 4)
Symmetry elements of C₄H₄
- C₃ (1) — through one C–H bond
- C₃ (2) — through one C–H bond
- C₃ (3) — through one C–H bond
- C₃ (4) — through one C–H bond
- C₂ (x) — through the midpoints of two opposite C–C bonds
- C₂ (y) — through the midpoints of two opposite C–C bonds
- C₂ (z) — through the midpoints of two opposite C–C bonds
- S₄ (x) — rotate 90°, then reflect
- S₄ (y) — rotate 90°, then reflect
- S₄ (z) — rotate 90°, then reflect
- σd (1) — contains two C–H bonds
- σd (2) — contains two C–H bonds
- σd (3) — contains two C–H bonds
- σd (4) — contains two C–H bonds
- σd (5) — contains two C–H bonds
- σd (6) — contains two C–H bonds
Structure
- C–C 1.48 Å, C–H 1.07 Å
- C–C–C 60°: the most strained ring system
- Known only with bulky substituents
