Conservation of Orbital Symmetry Definition:
During a reaction, the requirement that the phases of the frontier MOs must be
aligned.
Conservation of Orbital Symmetry Explained:
A required transformation of molecular orbitals that follow reaction paths continually along a path where the symmetry of the orbitals remains unchanged. Understanding the orbital symmetry enables us to determine the chemical properties of certain elements and or molecules.
The 5 fundamental Elements of symmetry
- Symmetry Axis: an axis where rotation in 360 results in the formation that distinguishes itself from others
- Plane symmetry: A plane reflection where the original molecule is copied and is identical
- Center of symmetry: A molecule has a center of symmetry when within a molecule the atoms at the center have a diametrically opposite atom.
- Rotation-reflection axis: When a rotation in 360 happens an equal and identical rotation is also taking place in the plane
- Identity (Abbreviated as “E”): shows how in molecules there is asymmetry with no charge, all molecules have them.