Editing Delocalized electron (section)

{{short description|Electrons that are not associated with a single atom or covalent bond}}
[[Image:Benzene-6H-delocalized.svg|thumb|right|200px|[[Benzene]], with the delocalization of the [[electron]]s indicated by the circle]]

In [[chemistry]], '''delocalized electrons''' are [[electron]]s in a [[molecule]], [[ion]] or solid [[metal]] that are not associated with a single [[atom]] or a [[covalent bond]].<ref>IUPAC Gold Book [http://goldbook.iupac.org/D01583.html ''delocalization'']</ref>

The term '''delocalization''' is general and can have slightly different meanings in different fields:
* In [[organic chemistry]], it refers to [[resonance (chemistry)|resonance]] in [[conjugated system]]s and [[aromatic compounds]]. 
* In [[solid-state physics]], it refers to [[free electron model|free electron]]s that facilitate [[electrical resistivity and conductivity|electrical conduction]]. 
* In [[quantum chemistry]], it refers to [[molecular orbital]] electrons that have extended over several adjacent atoms.