How can I draw the axial and equatorial bonds in a cycloctane?
1 Answer
The axial bonds are straight up or down, alternating on each carbon. The equatorial bonds will be 109.5 degrees from the axial bond such that they point to the outside of the ring.
Explanation:
Each of the eight carbons in a molecule of cyclooctane will have 2 hydrogens attached to fulfill the octet rule for the carbon atoms. One of these will be axial and the other equatorial. The axial carbons are straight up and down (in a flat ring, they will point straight up and down, alternating on each carbon; up, down, up, down, etc.), and the equatorial hydrogens will be 109.5* up or down from the axial carbons.
For example, if on carbon number 1 you draw the axial bond pointing straight up, the equatorial bond will be to the side of that carbon, pointing slightly down. On carbon number 2 of the same ring, the axial bond will point straight down, and the equatorial bond will be to the side and slightly up.
