Question

Puzzle (chemistry related)

Answer 1

@blues

Answer 2

Yes. They have enantiomers. but are not enantiomers of each other.

Answer 3

the molecules look symmetric to me. You should try to draw them (with e.g. avogadro)

Answer 4

But how can you draw two cycloheptane as borromean rings? I don't know any program that can do that.

Answer 5

chemdraw can probably do that. Not sure you can get the chemdraw3D which would allow you to put it in 3D and then optimize the geometry.

Answer 6

one trick is to draw pseudo-elements to have everything in place/scaffold the molecule, and then erase them.

Answer 7

I just have a bad feeling my prof is trying to trick me... he had a strange but amused smile on his face, when he gave me this task.

Answer 8

I would consider he is challenging you. It is OK to have fun with students (as long as you are not making fun of)

Answer 9

I know, I think he is cool :)

Answer 10

Why is this in the biology section? Ew biology
:P

Answer 11

perhaps because the limit between biology and chemistry is often fuzzy ;-)

Answer 12

Or perhaps, biology can't live without chemistry, and chemistry can't live without physics.... and I'm just the little undergrade student trying to understand the very complexity of the world we live in. I can't settle with biology... looking at a monkey doing stuff is not me, chemistry alone -> I would die alone. Physics can become to theoretical and incomprehensible... Mix it all up and you find the subject I find most intresting the whole world: Physical biochemistry and biophysics. :)

Answer 13

Anyway I got the results of the puzzle today.
1,7-dioxaspiro[5.]undecane do have enantiomers, becuase there is no mirror plane.
Cycloheptane[2]catenane don't have enantiomers, becuase there are a mirror plane, which is in the papers plane.