My question is why is benzene less reactive than 1,3,5-cyclohexatriene? I cannot find anything on 1,3,5 cyclohexatriene and why it is more reactive.

Question

I know that benzene does not undergo addition reactions and is extremely stable to oxidizing reagents. C atoms in benzene are connected by delocalized double bonds which make them available to all carbon atoms at the same time. This makes the ring system unusually stable.

Answer 1

I think your answer is fine. I was not able to find much information about 1,3,5-cyclohexatriene either but I did confer with a colleague who is an organic chemist. He tells me that in order for benzene to undergo those reactions that the resonance structure must be destroyed and that takes so much energy that it makes benzene much less reactive. In other words, the resonance present in benzene is what makes it more stable and that accounts for the less reactivity.