Name and draw structural formulas for all cycloalkanes with molecular formula

Key concepts

Structural formula

A structural formula in organic chemistry is a way of representing the chemical structure of a molecule, using symbols to indicate the type of atoms that make up the molecule and lines to indicate the chemical bonds between them. It can also include information about the molecular shape and the arrangement of atoms in the molecule.

Constitutional isomers

Constitutional isomers are different compounds that have the same molecular formula but a different arrangement of atoms or bond connectivity. Constitutional isomers have different physical and chemical properties due to the different connectivity of atoms in the molecule. They can also be called structural isomers. For example, 1-propanol and 2-propanol are constitutional isomers as they have the same molecular formula () but different arrangement of atoms.

Eg :

Cis-trans isomers

Cis-trans isomers, also known as geometric isomers, are a type of constitutional isomer where the atoms or groups of atoms within a molecule are arranged differently in space. Specifically, cis-trans isomers occur when there is a double bond between two carbon atoms and the atoms or groups of atoms on one side of the double bond are different from those on the other side.

In a cis isomer, the atoms or groups of atoms are on the same side of the double bond, while in a trans isomer, the atoms or groups of atoms are on opposite sides of the double bond. Cis-trans isomers have different chemical and physical properties, due to the different spatial arrangements of atoms in the molecule.

Step 1 of 4

We have to name and draw structural formulas for all cycloalkanes with the molecular formula . Include cis and trans isomers as well as constitutional isomers.

We can begin with cyclopentane