Athanor by arbastro
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How to draw aromatic rings with circles

Choose View › Aromatic circles to draw every aromatic ring with a circle. For one structure, select it and set Aromatic to Circle or Kekule under Display in Properties.

Steps

  1. Draw or insert an aromatic structure, for example naphthalene.

  2. Choose Main menu › View › Aromatic circles. Each aromatic ring is drawn with a circle instead of alternating double bonds.

    Naphthalene drawn with aromatic circles.Naphthalene drawn with aromatic circles.

  3. Choose it again to go back to Kekulé structures.

To set one structure on its own, select it and use Aromatic (Kekule or Circle) under Display in Properties. See How to show terminal carbons and atom numbers.

The circle is how the ring is drawn; the structure is the same, and exports as the same molecule.

Drawing basicsHow to make a double or triple bondWith the Bond tool, click an existing bond to raise its order (single, double, triple); Alt+click goes back. Or point at the bond and press 2 for double or 3 for triple.

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Last updated Nov 12, 2026