Symmetry Operation: An operation that

will leave an object in a configuration

indistinguishable from the starting
configuration

Symmetry Element: A geometric entity

(such as a plane, line, or point) about
which a symmetry operation is performed.
 FIVE BASIC TYPES OF SYMMETRY OPERATIONS

1. ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS

2. THE IDENTITY (OR DO-NOTHING) OPERATION
3. REFLECTION THROUGH A PLANE OF SYMMETRY
4. INVERSION THROUGH A CENTER OF SYMMETRY
5. IMPROPER ROTATION (= ROTATION-REFLECTION)
 POINT GROUP

A SET OF ALL SYMMETRY

OPERATIONS THAT CAN BE
CARRIED OUT IN AN OBJECT
(MOLECULE, ION, etc.) BELONGING
TO THIS GROUP

ABOUT 47 POINT GROUPS ARE

“CHEMICALLY IMPORTANT”
 SIX TYPES OF POINT GROUPS

1. NO ROTATION AXES
2. ONE ROTATION AXIS
3. DIHEDRAL GROUPS
4. ONE ROTATION-REFLECTION AXIS
5. LINEAR GROUPS
6. PLATONIC SOLID GROUPS
QUATERNARY AMMONIUM ION
WITH AN IMPROPER ROTATION AXIS

POINT
GROUP
S4

A MOLECULE CANNOT BE CHIRAL IF IT HAS

AN IMPROPER ROTATION AXIS
OCTAHEDRON WITHIN A CUBE
BOTH ARE POINT GROUP O
h
BUCKMINSTERFULLERENE: C 60

POINT GROUP I h