Which of the following statements about the conformations of acyclic alkanes is not true?
A)The staggered and eclipsed conformations are equally stable.
B)The staggered conformations are more stable than the eclipsed conformations.
C)An energy minimum and maximum occur every 60° as the conformation changes from staggered to eclipsed.
D)Conformations that are neither staggered nor eclipsed are intermediate in energy.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The statement "The staggered and eclipsed conformations are equally stable" is not true. The staggered conformations are more stable than the eclipsed conformations. This is due to the fact that in the eclipsed conformation, the bonded atoms are closer to each other, resulting in increased repulsion between electron clouds. The energy difference between the staggered and eclipsed conformations is about 3.8 kcal/mol. Conformations that are neither staggered nor eclipsed are intermediate in energy, and an energy minimum and maximum occur every 60° as the conformation changes from staggered to eclipsed.

Which of the Following Statements About the Conformations of Acyclic