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Cyclopentane eclipsed

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 2:06 pm
by Alan Chien 1J
When we are talking about the planar form of cyclopentane, does it have "5 pairs of eclipsed C-H bonds"? Also, when we say pairs does that refer to all the C-H bonds that are eclipsed between two carbon atoms?

Lastly, in a puckered cyclopentane (envelope conformation), I understand that the structure is dynamic and any of the carbons can flip up moving that carbon out of the plane into a staggered conformation. This would relieve any torsional strain between that carbon and the adjacent carbons. However, is there any torsional strain between any of the other four carbons?

Re: Cyclopentane eclipsed

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:20 pm
by Chem_Mod
Cyclopentane has 5 pairs of eclipsed C-H bonds.

Yes, some torsional strain remains. If you study the structure you can see some C-H bonds are still eclipsed.