Internal rotation in small molecules

To understand the complex conformational changes which occur in polymer molecules, we start by considering the processes in small molecules. Then we see how these are changed by progressively lengthening the chain. 

We first examine the relationship between conformation and energy. Rotational isomerisation in simple molecules has been extensively studied, and values for the energy differences between various forms, as well as the activation energies opposing interconversion, have been measured.To understand these 

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I) Orville-Thomas W.J. (Ed) (1975) Internal Rotation in Molecules Wiley, New York. This volume contains a series of articles which cover both the experimental and theoretical aspects of the study of internal rotation in small molecules. 

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