Give four examples of contitutional and Stereoisomers? With structural formula drawn ?

1 Answer
May 23, 2018

Well, #"constitutional isomers"# are molecules of the SAME formula BUT different connectivity....i.e. these are #"structural isomers"#

Explanation:

And as for some examples of constitutional isomers, try hexane, #C_6H_14#...and this formula generates FIVE structural or constitutional isomers: #"n-hexane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane,"# #"2,2-dimethylbutane, and 2,3-dimethylbutane"#. For each isomer, while the formula is the same, the connectivity of each isomer is manifestly different..and this is reflected by the names of each isomer.

And stereoisomers HAVE the same CONNECTIVITY...but different geometry such that the stereoisomer CANNOT be superimposed upon its mirror image. Simple diols, i.e. #H_3CdotCH(OH)dotCH(OH)CH_3#, have the 2 potential chiral centres flagged. With respect to #stackrel"*"C# this can in principle GENERATE FOUR stereoisomers...#"RR, SS, RS, SR"#. But given such a diol, #RS-=SR#, i.e. this structure is a meso structure with an internal mirror plane.

Is this sufficient....?