conformational isomer

A conformational isomer, also known as a conformer, refers to any of the various spatial arrangements of atoms in a molecule that can be achieved through rotation around single bonds. These different arrangements arise because molecules are not rigid structures; their constituent groups can rotate, leading to a continuous spectrum of possible shapes.1

While a molecule can theoretically exist in an infinite number of conformations, certain arrangements are more stable due to factors like the repulsion between electron clouds in bonds and the preferred bond angles. These stable conformations represent energy minima. The energy difference between various conformations determines how easily a molecule can transition between them. If the energy barrier is low, interconversion is rapid, and distinct conformational isomers are not typically isolable. However, in some cases, particularly in ring structures like cyclohexane, these conformational differences can lead to distinct, isolable forms with varying stability.23