Meaning of Cis and Trans

[NRobbins_1K]

Can someone explain the difference between cis and trans and how that applies to cisplatin?

[Clarice Chui 2C]

Cis means that the electronegative atoms around the central atom are all on the same side. This means it’s polar. Trans means that the atoms around the central atom are opposite each other, making it symmetrical and nonpolar. Cisplatin is a well-known chemotherapy drug that forms a coordination compound with DNA that stops cell division.

[Alex Hitti 3E]

cis- means that the electronegative atoms are both on one side which creates a dipole moment. meanwhile trans- means that the electronegative atoms are on opposite sides whicgh the dipole moments cancel out, thus there is no dipole moment. In regards to cis/trans-platin, the chlorine atoms are the place holders for the electronegative atoms mentioned above

[MinuChoi]

Adding on:
cis- means something like "on one side", and trans means "across".
cis-molecule are typically polar and trans-molecules are typically nonpolar.

[KarineKim2L]

Cisplatin works as a chemotherapy drug while trans-diamine-dichloro-platinum (II) does not because cisplatin is polar and therefore more reactive, and binds to the exposed Nitrogens on Guanine that result from the duplication of DNA. Cisplatin needs to bind to Guanine in 2 places for the bond to be strong enough, and therefore it is necessary for the two Cl atoms to be next to each other. This is why transplatin would not work. Unhealthy DNA that constantly divides has constantly exposed Nitrogen molecules unlike healthy DNA.

[Quynh Vo]

cis means the atoms are on the same side while trans means they're on opposite sides from each other. The determines if they are polar or non polar

[Nare Nazaryan 1F]

Cis means the electronegative atoms are on the same side (e.g. two chlorines), which trans is when they're on opposite sides. Cisplatin works because Guanine can displace two chlorines from one side, vs. two chlorines on opposite sides (trans).

[Kehlin Hayes 4C]

Cis refers to when the atom has the dipole movements on the same side of the molecule making it polar. Trans means the dipole movements are on opposing sides cancelling out making the molecule non polar.

[Michelle N - 2C]

Cis generally means when the molecules are next to each other one side, while trans generally means that they're opposite of each other, like across from each other.

This applies to cisplatin as that is a well-known chemotherapy drug that stops cell division. In other words, I think the reason why cisplatin is applied here is that the cis version is the one that's able to form a coordination compound with the DNA.

[RobertXu_2J]

Cis means that the molecule is symmetrical, with the same elements are on the same side. Trans means opposite, the elements are on different sides.

[erica thompson 4I]

This is a generalization, but many examples we are given include more than one atom of the same type. Adding onto everyone's answers above, oftentimes the same atom (which therefore has the same electronegativity) can be a good distinguisher of cis- vs. trans-. If the same atom types are on the same side of the central atom, it is cis- and symmetrical. If the same atom types are on opposite sides of the central atom, it is trans- and asymmetrical.

[Micah3J]

So just to be clear, the prefixes cis and trans can be in front of any molecule that can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical?