Anti conformations higher alkanes

Higher alkanes having unbranched carbon chains are like butane most stable m then-all anti conformations The energy difference between gauche and anti conformations is similar to that of butane and appreciable quantities of the gauche conformation are pres ent m liquid alkanes at 25°C In depicting the conformations of higher alkanes it is often more helpful to look at them from the side rather than end on as m a Newman projec tion Viewed from this perspective the most stable conformations of pentane and hexane... 

The same principles just developed for butane apply to pentane, hexane, and all higher alkanes. The most favorable conformation for any alkane has the carbon-carbon bonds in staggered arrangements, with large substituents arranged anti to one another. A generalized alkane structure is shown in Figure 3.10. 

The higher alkanes resemble butane in their preference for anti and gauche conforma-Conformations tions about the carbon-carbon bonds. The lowest-energy conformation for any straight-Of Hi Cl her Alkanes c la n alkane is the one with all the internal carbon-carbon bonds in their anti a conformations. These anti conformations give the chain a zigzag shape. At room... 

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