what is meant by aromatic compounds?

The word "AROMA" means good smell. "AROMATICITY" means exhibiting the good smell. In olden days, scientists concluded that the compounds that smell good are known as "AROMATIC COMPOUNDS". In later stages scientists founded that, there are some aromatic compounds which smell bad. For example, salicylic acid. Scientists gave a new definition to aromatic compounds, that is "The compounds that are related to benzene and the base molecular formula is C6H6 and exhibit the common characteristcs of benzene are called "AROMATIC COMPOUNDS".

The word "aromatic" is derived from a latin word"aroma",that means"fragnance".

At first the compound that were extracted from natural resources were fragnant.Those compounds were called aromatic in the then concept.

But now a compound would not be called aromatic on the basis of the fragnance.A compound that might or might not have fragnance,but must have atleast one bengene ring will be called a aromatic compound.So the bengene and all its bengene derivatives such as toluene, phenol, aniline, would be called aromatic compound.

Now even the ultra modern concept depicts that,an aromatic compound can or cannot have the bengene ring.Those compounds who have coplanar ring as well as only (4n+2) pi electrons[where n=1,2,3,4....etc.] and have the proper conjugation of electron delocalisation ,are called aromatic compound.