isomerism: Quick Facts

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Two diagrams show the three-dimensional structure of a methane molecule: panel A uses a ball-and-stick model with a central carbon atom connected to four hydrogen atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement, while panel B illustrates the bond angle of 109.5 degrees and bond length of 1.09 angstroms between carbon and hydrogen atoms.

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Topics

ligand isomerism linkage isomerism constitutional isomerism coordination isomerism ionization isomerism stereoisomerism meso compound cis-trans isomerism optical isomerism tautomerism radiation radioactivity cluster phase temperature elasticity entropy polarity heat yield strength

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Key People

Jöns Jacob Berzelius

Jöns Jacob Berzelius

Swedish chemist

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Vladimir Vasilyevich Markovnikov

Russian chemist

Butlerov, portrait by an unknown artist

Aleksandr Butlerov

Russian chemist

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Johannes Wislicenus

German chemist