The first-order rate constant for the decomposition of dimethyl ether (CH3)2O(g) CH4(g) 1 H2(g) 1 CO(g) is 3.2 3 1024 s21 at 4508C. The reaction is carried out in a constant-volume flask. Initially only dimethyl ether is present and the pressure is 0.350 atm. What is the pressure of the system after 8.0 min? Assume ideal behavior.
Strain - Torsional: higher energy of eclipsed (bad) conformation/lower energy of staggered (good) conformation o Any bond will have torsional strain when it is eclipsed o Never present in staggered conformations - Steric: arises when atoms are forced closer than their volumes allow o You want atoms to occupy their own space - Angle: arises from bond angles deviating from ideal values (such as 109.5 for 3 sp ) o Could be larger angle (112 degrees) or a smaller angle (100 degrees) o Only comes into play when you have a lot of steric strain Conformation - Anti-conformation: conformation about a single bond in which groups on adjacent carbons lie at dihedral angles o It is
