Question

How many different configurations of CH3Cl are possible?

Answer 1

Is it just 2?

Answer 2

pretty sure there is only on configuration

Answer 3

Ohh so it's only one but what about if it is CH3Cl2? There are 2 possible different configurations ?

Answer 4

@Photon336

Answer 5

When you mean by configuration do you mean as in conformational isomers?

Answer 6

it's still one configuration

Answer 7

it depends, chiral compounds, compounds with 4 distinct groups attached to them can have either R or S configuration.

Answer 8

Molecules with single bonds will constantly rotate around those bonds, and try out different positions i.e. conformers. these positions have different energy levels associated with them but this is in molecules that have two or more carbon carbon bonds.

Answer 9

don't you mean CH2Cl2 @martaamador62 ?

Answer 10

yes @priyar
thank you @Photon336

Answer 11

No problem @martaamador62

Answer 12

CH2Cl2 is what's called a disubstituted alkene, with two chlorine atoms having replaced two hydrogen atoms in C2H4. So, this structure will contain a carbon-carbon double bond (C=C), with each carbon being sp2 hybridised. The atoms bonded to the carbons will be in fixed positions, as we can't rotate about a C=C bond in the same way we can with a C-C single bond.

There are three possible configurations to consider here:
1. When the two chlorines are bonded to the same carbon atom,
2. When we have a 1,2-disubstituted alkene (i.e. Each chlorine is bonded to a single carbon atom)

1. The first case is pretty straightforward, with two chlorines bonded to one carbon and two hydrogens to the other.


2. With any 1,2-disubstituted alkene, we can have two different configurations or isomers:
- The cis-siomer
- The trans-isomer

With the cis-isomer, the hydrogens (the lowest priority substituents bonded to each carbon atom) lie on the same side of the C=C bond (as do the highest priority substituents). With the trans-isomer, the hydrogens will lie on opposite sides of the C=C bond. Priority is assigned in terms of molecular weight, so if each carbon has one chlorine and one hydrogen substituent, the chlorine is given high priority and the hydrogen is low priority, as it has a higher mass.


As shown above, you'll also hear these two isomers called Z- and E- respectively, which is just another naming system used (a good memory tip here is "Zee Zame Zide" to tell the difference between them!). Hope that helps you out :)