cis-trans isomerism
Quick Summary
Cis-trans isomerism, also known as geometric isomerism, describes molecules with the same chemical formula but different spatial arrangements of atoms. This occurs in unsaturated compounds with carbon-to-carbon double bonds or in cyclic compounds.
In alkenes, like 2-butene, the substituents can be on the same side of the double bond (cis) or on opposite sides (trans). This difference in arrangement is due to the restricted rotation around the double bond, requiring significant energy to interconvert. Similarly, in ring compounds like disubstituted cyclohexanes, substituents can be on the same side (cis) or opposite sides (trans) of the ring, leading to distinct isomers. These spatial differences can affect the molecule's properties, such as boiling point.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
coordination compoundCis-trans isomerismCis-trans (geometric) isomers of coordination compounds differ from one another only in the manner in which the ligands are distributed spatially; for example, in the isomeric pair of diamminedichloroplatinum compounds
Read MoreCis-trans (geometric) isomers of coordination compounds differ from one another only in the manner in which the ligands are distributed spatially; for example, in the isomeric pair of diamminedichloroplatinum compounds
Read More
isomerismCis and trans formsThe examples presented so far have concentrated on the simplest organic molecules, the alkanes. However, stereoisomers crop up in many of the other structural types of organic chemistry. For example, in the alkenes, two versions of 2-butene exist. They are traditionally
Read MoreThe examples presented so far have concentrated on the simplest organic molecules, the alkanes. However, stereoisomers crop up in many of the other structural types of organic chemistry. For example, in the alkenes, two versions of 2-butene exist. They are traditionally
Read More
