Class 11 Chemistry simulations · Hydrocarbons

Conformations of ethane

Rotate one carbon of ethane about the C–C bond and follow the torsional energy between staggered and eclipsed forms.

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What to notice

The staggered form (φ = 60°) is the most stable; the eclipsed form (φ = 0°) is 12.5 kJ/mol higher, but rotation is still rapid at room temperature.

Key relation

E(φ) ≈ ½ E₀ (1 + cos 3φ) ; E₀ ≈ 12.5 kJ/mol

Try this

Find all angles at which ethane is eclipsed.

What you can change

• Dihedral angle φ: 0 to 360 °

More in Hydrocarbons

• Benzene: resonance and equal bonds
• Markovnikov and anti-Markovnikov addition

See all Class 11 Chemistry simulations or every Physica simulation.