Organic Chemistry - CHEM 231A
Problem Set #2
Due Friday, October 22 at 9:00 am
50 points total
1. Provide names and/or structures for the following molecules: (15 pts = 3 pts each)
2. Consider rotations around the C2-C3 bond in 2-methylhexane. (15 pts = 3 pts each)
a. Represent all the major conformations in Newman projections.
b. Construct a qualitative plot (reaction energy diagram) that describes the energy of the
system as a function of the progress of the interconversion of the conformational isomers.
i. Be sure to clearly indicate the coordinates on the diagram that correspond to the
different conformations.
c. Specify the energy differences that control the populations of the staggered
conformations at equilibrium.
d. Specify the energy differences that control the rate of the interconversion reactions (there
are forward and back reaction rates).
e. Explain how your reaction energy diagram describes changes in energy as a function of
changes in molecular structure.
1a.
1c.
1d.
8-chloro-6,8-diethyl-7-oxo-3-secbutyl-2,4,6-trimethyl-3-nonen-5-ol
2-isopropyl-3-neopentyl-4-(4'-methoxyphenyl)hexanal
OH
Cl
O
H
O
O
1b.
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