Point group for H2O2 - why isn't it planar?

Submitted by Sophia E. Hayes / Washington University on Thu, 10/14/2010 - 10:57

This is the first time I've posted to a forum.  Hope "Research" was the right category.

 

I'm teaching a jr./sr. level Inorganic course using Miessler and Tarr.  I got a question from a student about hydrogen peroxide, H2O2 that I couldn't answer.  It's in  every textbook at  having C2 symmetry, but you'd expect (from a VSEPR picture) that it would be planar.  Apparently, it's not.  

 

Does anyone happen to know the reason why ... any good textbook discussion of this that you know of?

 

Thanks!

Sophia Hayes

Washington University

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