Delocalized Pi Bond

[Lianna Kishi 1A]

What does it mean for a pi bond to be delocalized?

[Remi Lathrop 1G]

A delocalized pi bond occurs in a molecule that has one or more resonance structures with different placement of double bonds, and therefore different placement of the pi bonds. One of the most common examples we have seen in class is benzene, formed by a ring of carbon atoms with a hydrogen atom on each. In this structure the double bonds can be placed in 2 different formations, which means that the pi bonds are not bound to a single atom or region and are therefore delocalized.

[Glendy Gonzalez 1A]

In simple words, the term delocalized pi bond is used to describe a pi bond that can move around in the different resonate structures of a molecule.