Why this chapter?
Simple molecules containing one and two carbons aren’t complex to represent. However, structure complexity arises when three or more carbons join to form molecules. Such molecules may contain the same molecular formula, that is, the same whole number ratio of the atoms, and still be very different in how the atoms connect, producing different structures.
This connection difference would even translate into the molecules possessing different physical and chemical characteristics. For example, a simple two-carbon compound with molecular formula C2H6O can be ethanol or diethyl ether, having very different physical and chemical properties. You need to provide ethanol a slightly elevated temperature of 78 oC to boil it. In contrast, diethyl ether would evaporate right off the table on a regular hot day in the tropics.
Such variations in structures between two or more molecules having the same molecular formula are called structural isomerism. This chapter covers its six subtypes, teaching along the way, its representation, essential conditions, changes in properties, and more. It will be a handy reference tool when you have to predict structures from molecular formulas and NMR data later.
- Introduction
- Chain Isomerism
- Position Isomerism
- Functional Isomerism
- Tautomerism
- Metamerism
- Ring-Chain Isomerism