Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
AN ISOMER OF A MOLECULE IS A MOLECULE WITH THE SAME MOLECULAR FORMULA BUT A DIFFERENT STRUCTURAL OR
SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT OF ATOMS. THIS VARIATION CAN LEAD TO A DIFFERENCE IN PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROPERTIES.
H H H H
H H H H H S R
(Z)-1,2-DICHLOROETHENE
METHYL PROPANE BUT-1-ENE CYCLOBUTANE Z = same side
DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENT THE DIFFERING POSITION DIFFERING POSITIONS OF DIFFERENT SUBSTITUENTS NON-SUPERIMPOSABLE
OF A MOLECULE’S CARBON OF THE SAME FUNCTIONAL ATOMS GIVE A DIFFERENT AROUND A BOND WITH MIRROR IMAGES OF THE
SKELETON GROUP IN THE MOLECULE FUNCTIONAL GROUP RESTRICTED ROTATION SAME MOLECULE
The positions of the carbon atoms The molecular formula remains the Also referred to as functional group Commonly exhibited by alkenes, Optical isomers differ by the
in the molecule can be rearranged same; the type of functional group isomerism, these isomers have the presence of two different placement of different substituents,
to give ‘branched’ carbon chains also remains the same, but its the same molecular formula but substituents on both carbon atoms around one or more atoms in a
coming off the main chain. The position in the molecule changes. the atoms are rearranged to give at either end of the double bond molecule. Different arrangements
name of the molecule changes The name of the molecule changes a different functional group. The can give rise to two different, non- of these substituents can be
to reflect this, but the molecular to reflect the new position of the name of the molecule changes to superimposable isomers due to the impossible to superimpose - these
formula is still the same. functional group. reflect the new functional group. restricted rotation of the bond. are optical isomers.