Reflection Paper: Molecular Symmetry and its Applications

La Arnie G. Gata | BS Chemistry 1B

We may find symmetries everywhere may it be in nature or synthetically made. The beauty
of a flower, the majesty of a tree, the tall buildings, various mind-boggling technologies, even the
rocks upon which we walk can exhibit the concept of symmetry. Any object is called as
symmetrical if it has mirror symmetry, or ‘left-right’ symmetry i.e. it would look the same in a
mirror. For example, a sphere is more symmetrical compare to a cube as it looks the same after
rotation through any angle about the diameter. However during the rotation of a cube, it looks
similar only with certain angles like 90°, 180°, or 270° about an axis passing from the centers of
any of its opposite faces, or by 120° or 240° about an axis passing from any of the opposite corners.
In the same way, symmetry is very important in chemistry as some molecules are clearly ‘more
symmetrical’ than others due to their different configurations. The symmetry of a molecule is
determined by the existence of symmetry operations performed with respect to symmetry elements
which are the points, lines and planes. A symmetry element is a line, a plane or a point in or through
an object, about which a rotation or reflection leaves the object in an orientation indistinguishable
from the original and the symmetry operation is the operation performed on an object which leaves
it in configuration that is indistinguishable from the original configuration or simply means the
process of moving the object resulting to the same arrangement of molecules as it was in the first
position.

Considering the applications of symmetry upon knowing the group theory it is also helpful
in determining first: Polarity. A polar molecule is one with a permanent electric dipole moment
(HCl, O3, and NH3 are examples). If the molecule belongs to the group Cn with n > 1, it cannot
possess a charge distribution with a dipole moment perpendicular to the symmetry axis because
the symmetry of the molecule implies that any dipole that exists in one direction perpendicular to
the axis is cancelled by an opposing dipole. Therefore, as well as having no dipole perpendicular
to the axis, such molecules can have none along the axis, for otherwise these additional operations
would not be symmetry operations. We can conclude that only molecules belonging to the groups
Cn , Cnv , and Cs may have a permanent electric dipole moment. Next is the Chirality. A chiral
molecule and its mirror-image partner constitute an enantiomeric pair of isomers and rotate the
plane of polarization in equal but opposite directions. A molecule may be chiral, and therefore
optically active, only if it does not possess an axis of improper rotation, Sn. However, we need to
be aware that such an axis maybe present under a different name, and be implied by other
symmetry elements that are present. Lastly, the molecular vibrations. Once we know the symmetry
of a molecule at its equilibrium structure, group theory allows us to predict the vibrational motions
it will undergo using exactly the same tools we used above to investigate molecular orbitals. Each
vibrational mode transforms as one of the irreducible representations of the molecule’s point
group. .

One thing I’ve learned about in this topic is that by knowing the symmetries of a molecule
you can also pinned out or determine its point group. However, I find it difficult to know the
symmetries if it is a complicated molecule or have its complex structure.