What are the stereoisomers of cyclic compounds?
1 Answer
May 4, 2015
Just as with acyclic compounds, cyclic compounds can have geometric and optical isomers.
In general, if any two sp³ carbons in a ring have two different substituent groups (not counting other ring atoms), stereoisomerism is possible.
Consider, for example, 1,2-dimethylcyclopentane.
Geometric Isomers
1,2-Dimethylcyclopentane exists as the cis isomer, with both CH₃ groups on the same side of the ring, or as the trans isomer, with the CH₃ groups on opposite sides of the ring.
Optical Isomers
trans-1,2-Dimethylcyclopentane exists as two optical isomers.
They are nonsuperimposable mirror images of each other.
