MolDraw › Templates › Symmetry › What symmetry tells you
SymmetryFree
What symmetry tells you template
Free template. Download it, or open it in MolDraw to change it first.
Polar vs nonpolar and chiral vs achiral molecules sorted by point group, with the mutual exclusion rule.
What the template shows
- Dipole moment, chirality and IR/Raman activity follow from the point group
- only C1, Cs, Cn and Cnv can have a dipole
- C2v · lone pair equatorial
- i, σh, or several Cn cancel the bond dipoles
- D4h · 2 lone pairs ⊥
- no improper axis Sn (C1, Cn, Dn, T, O, I)
- trans-1,2-Dichlorocyclopropane
- Biphenyl (twisted)
- Achiral despite stereocentres
- a mirror plane or i makes the molecule its own mirror image
- meso-CHClBr–CHClBr
- meso-Tartaric acid
- meso · Cs (eclipsed)
- cis-1,2-Dimethylcyclohexane
- meso (averaged)
- Mutual exclusion: in a molecule with an inversion centre no vibration is both IR and Raman active (CO₂: 2349 cm⁻¹ IR only, 1388 cm⁻¹ Raman only).
- A vibration is IR active when it transforms like x, y or z, and Raman active when it transforms like a quadratic (x², xy …) in the character table.
- Orbitals mix only if they have the same symmetry label (a₁, b₂, e …): the basis of MO diagrams from SALCs.
Drawn with 96 atoms, 4 shapes – every one editable in MolDraw.
Sources
How to use this template
- Press Edit in MolDraw. The template opens on the canvas of the free MolDraw editor.
- Change anything: move structures, edit atoms and labels, recolour highlights or delete what you do not need.
- Add your own structures, arrows and text next to it, or combine several templates on one page.
- Export the drawing as PNG, SVG or PDF for slides, worksheets, theses and papers.
Frequently asked questions
Is the What symmetry tells you template free?
Yes. The What symmetry tells you template is one of the free MolDraw templates: open it in the editor or download it from this page as SVG or PNG and use it in your slides, worksheets and notes.
Can I edit the What symmetry tells you template?
Yes. It opens as an ordinary MolDraw drawing, so every structure, arrow, label and colour can be changed, and you can add your own content around it.
Is the chemistry checked?
Every structure is checked with RDKit and every curly arrow passes MolDraw’s electron-flow audit. The sources used are listed on this page.
Which point groups are covered?
C1, Cs, Ci, Cn, Cnv, Cnh, Dn, Dnh, Dnd, S2n, Td and Oh, each with an example molecule drawn to show its 3D shape.