4.4 Isomerism Flashcards
what do hydrocarbons consist of?
Hydrogen and carbon
what does the alkane group form?
They form a homologous series of hydrocarbons in which the carbon atoms are joined to each other by a single covalent bond
what does a structural formula show?
a structural formula shows the number and type of each atom in a molecule
what does a displayed formula show?
a displayed formula shows all the bonds clearly as straight lines
when does structural isomerism occur?
structural isomerism occurs when two or more compounds have the same molecular formula but different structures
what are chain isomers?
chain isomers are structural isomers in which carbon atoms are joined together in different arrangements, such as branches
What are positional isomers?
Positional isomers occur when compounds have the same molecular formula and functional group, but the functional group is on different parts of the same carbon chain
what are haloalkanes?
haloalkanes are alkanes in which at least one hydrogen is replaced by a halogen atom
how are compounds named when they contain different halogen atoms?
they are named in alphabetical order
what are stereoisomers?
stereoisomers have the same molecular formula and the same structural formula, but the atoms are arranged differently in space
why are stereoisomers able to exist in alkenes?
due to the restricted rotation around the C=C bond
what are the two conditions that must be met for there to be an E-Z isomer?
- the molecule must have a C=C bond
- both C atoms must have two different groups attached to them
when does optical isomerism occur?
optical isomerism occurs when a compound contains a carbon atom with four different atoms or groups joined to it
what do we call the carbon with four different groups attached to it?
the chiral carbon
what does the presence of optical isomerism mean?
that the compound can have two optical isomers, called enantiomers
