Question

What do the dashed lines represent in Bond Line Views?

Answer 1

There are no dashed lines in bond-line views.

Explanation:

But there are dashed lines in wedge-dash views.

For example, the wedge-dash view of one isomer of 3-methylpentan-2-ol is

In wedge-dash notation,

• bonds in the plane of the page are drawn as lines
• bonds coming towards the viewer, out of the paper, are drawn as wedges, with the wide part closest to the viewer.
• bonds going away from the viewer, behind the paper, are drawn as dashes, with the wide end furthest from the viewer.
• the "points" of the wedges and dashes are always joined to the atom in the plane of the paper,

In the structure above, the `"OH"` group on `"C-2"` is on a dash. That means that it is behind the plane of the paper and furthest from the viewer.

The `"H"` on `"C-2"` would be shown on a wedge if it were shown explicitly.

The `"CH"_3` group on `"C-3"` is on a wedge. That means that it is in front of the plane of the paper and closest to the viewer.

The `"H"` on `"C-3"` would be shown on a dash if it were shown explicitly.