Which of the following statements correctly describes the aromaticity of benzene ($C_6{H}_6$)?

• A. Benzene is aromatic because it is cyclic, planar, fully conjugated, and contains $6$ π electrons that satisfy Hückel's rule.
• B. Benzene is nonaromatic because it does not have a continuous ring of p orbitals.
• C. Benzene is antiaromatic because it has $6$ π electrons.
• D. Benzene is nonaromatic because it is not planar.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the criteria for aromaticity: a molecule must be cyclic, planar, fully conjugated (continuous overlap of p orbitals), and contain a specific number of π electrons that satisfy Hückel's rule, which is given by the formula \$4n + 2\(, where \)n$ is a non-negative integer.
2. Examine benzene's structure: it is a six-membered carbon ring with alternating double bonds, making it cyclic and fully conjugated because each carbon has a p orbital overlapping with its neighbors.
3. Confirm planarity: benzene is planar, allowing for effective overlap of p orbitals across the ring, which is essential for delocalization of π electrons.
4. Count the π electrons in benzene: each double bond contributes 2 π electrons, and benzene has three double bonds, so total π electrons = \$6$.
5. Apply Hückel's rule: check if the number of π electrons fits \$4n + 2\(. For \)n=1\(, \)4(1) + 2 = 6$, which matches benzene's π electrons, confirming its aromaticity.