Cycloalkanes Cyclopropanes

Conformational analysis is far simpler m cyclopropane than m any other cycloalkane Cyclopropane s three carbon atoms are of geometric necessity coplanar and rotation about Its carbon-carbon bonds is impossible You saw m Section 3 4 how angle strain m cyclopropane leads to an abnormally large heat of combustion Let s now look at cyclopropane m more detail to see how our orbital hybridization bonding model may be adapted to molecules of unusual geometry... 

The prefix cyclo- is used to name cycloalkanes. Cyclopropane is planar, but larger carbon rings are puckered. Cyclohexane exists mainly in a chair conformation with all bonds on adjacent carbons staggered. One bond on each carbon is axial (perpendicular to the mean carbon plane) the other is equatorial (roughly in that plane). The conformations can be interconverted by flipping the ring, which requires only bond rotation and occurs rapidly at room temperature for cyclohexane. Ring substituents usually prefer the less crowded, equatorial position. 

The two smallest cycloalkanes, cyclopropane and cyclobutane, show certain chemical properties that are entirely different from those of the other members of their family. Some of these exceptional properties fit into a pattern and, as we shall see, can be understood in a general way. 

In contrast to the rotational freedom around single bonds in open-chain alkanes, there is much less freedom in cycloalkanes. Cyclopropane, for example, must be a rigid, planar molecule (three points define a plane). No bond rotation can take place around a cyclopropane carbon-carbon bond without breaking open the ring (Figure 3.8, p. 100). 

The lack of alkane C-C activation also arises from the fact that two relatively weak M-C bonds are formed in the process [Eq. (6.105)]. However, in strained molecules such as small-ring cycloalkanes (cyclopropanes, cyclobutanes), relief of strain is an additional favorable factor. Furthermore, C-C activation can be rendered thermodynamically more favorable when an extra driving force is available, such as formation of an aromatic structure or by utilizing an activating functionality. 

What are the conformations of cycloalkanes Cyclopropane, with only three carbon atoms, is necessarily planar (because three points determine a plane). The C—C—C angle is only 60° (the carbons form an equilateral triangle), much less than the usual sp tetrahedral angle of 109.5°. The hydrogens lie above and below the carbon plane, and hydrogens on adjacent carbons are eclipsed. 

As we have just seen, the smallest cycloalkane, cyclopropane, is much less stable than expected for three methylene groups. Why should this be The reason is twofold torsional strain and bond-angle strain. 

At one time all cycloalkanes were believed to be planar It was expected that cyclopentane would be the least strained cycloalkane because the angles of a regular pentagon (108°) are closest to the tetrahedral angle of 109 5° Heats of combustion established that this is not so With the exception of cyclopropane the rings of all cycloalkanes are nonplanar... 

C-C bond Fluonnation increases the bond strengths in cycloalkanes, including cyclobutanes [75, 94], but by contrast, it decreases C-C bond strengths and increases nng strain in cyclopropanes and other three-membered nng compounds [75 94. 9S]... 

The Baeyer strain theory is useful to us in identifying angle strain as a destabilizing effect. Its fundfflnental flaw is its assumption that the rings of cycloalkanes are planar-. With the exception of cyclopropane, cycloalkanes are nonplanar. Sections 3.5-3.13 describe the shapes of cycloalkanes. We ll begin with cyclopropane. 

Physical properties of cycloalkanes [49, p. 284 50, p. 31] show reasonably gradual changes, but unlike most homologous series, different members exhibit different degrees of chemical reactivity. For example, cyclohexane is the least reactive member in this family, whereas both cyclopropane and cyclobutane are more reactive than cyclopentane. Thus, hydrocarbons containing cyclopentane and cyclohexane rings are quite abundant in nature. 

Because of their cyclic structures, cycloalkanes have two faces as viewed edge-on, a "top" face and a "bottom" face. As a result, isomerism is possible in substituted cycloalkanes. For example, there are two different 1,2-dimethyl-cyclopropane isomers, one with the two methyl groups on the same face of the ring and one with the methyls on opposite faces (Figure 4.2). Both isomers are stable compounds, and neither can be converted into the other without breaking and reforming chemical bonds. Make molecular models to prove this to yourself. 

The data in Figure 4.3 show that Baeyer s theory is only partially correct. Cyclopropane and cyclobutane are indeed strained, just as predicted, but cyclopentane is more strained than predicted, and cyclohexane is strain-free. Cycloalkanes of intermediate size have only modest strain, and rings of 14 carbons or more are strain-free. Why is Baeyer s theory wrong ... 

To name an alkane in which the carbon atoms form a single chain, we combine a prefix denoting the number of carbon atoms with the suffix -ane (Table 18.1). For example, CH,—CH, (more simply, CH,CH,) is ethane and CH,—CH2—CH, (that is, CH,CH2CH,) is propane. Cyclopropane, C,H6 (15), and cyclohexane, C6H12 (16), are cycloalkanes, alkanes that contain rings of carbon atoms. 

Curie temperature, 696 cyanide ion, 615 cycles, 4 cycloalkane, 731 cyclohexane, 731 cyclone, 144 cyclopropane, 542, 731 cysteine, 774 cytosine, 438, 777... 

The simplest of the saturated cyclic hydrocarbons, or cycloalkanes, is cyclopropane, C3Hg, the molecules of which are made up of three carbon atoms to each of which two hydrogen atoms are attached. Cyclopropane is somewhat more reactive than the corresponding open-chain alkane, propane, C3Hg. Other cycloalkanes make up a part of ordinary gasoline. 

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