Which of the following compounds is strictly non-aromatic despite having electrons, because it adopt — Aromatic Hydrocarbons Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Cyclooctatetraene has $8\pi$ electrons, which fits the $4n$ rule for anti-aromaticity. However, to avoid the high instability associated with anti-aromaticity, the molecule adopts a non-planar, tub-like shape. Since it is not planar, $\pi$ -delocalization is broken, making it non-aromatic rather than anti-aromatic.