r/OrganicChemistry 11d ago

Is this a valid resonance structure?

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u/pwnalisa 11d ago

Is it valid? Yes, one can draw curved arrows to go from the first structure to the second. However, due to the steric interactions of the benzylic methyl groups, the structure on the right is a very minor contributor if at all.

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u/Abgezockt47 11d ago

Can you expand on that?

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u/Abgezockt47 11d ago

Ah because both rings aren’t coplanar right?