*high energy compound*

[spoog74]

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when they ask for the structure with the "highest energy" , they basically mean the most stable... Correct?

I was doing a problem and did the opposite, since i thought the greater the energy, the more unstable.... For example in a cyclohexane chair conformation 2 large groups would be in the equatorial position ( favorably) and thus would be most stable, thus least energy. But im wrong... i presume?

 

[FROGGBUSTER]

when they ask for the structure with the "highest energy" , they basically mean the most stable... Correct?

I was doing a problem and did the opposite, since i thought the greater the energy, the more unstable.... For example in a cyclohexane chair conformation 2 large groups would be in the equatorial position ( favorably) and thus would be most stable, thus least energy. But im wrong... i presume?

yea it's just opposite to what you think actually. highest energy = highest energy that is released when you break a bond.

a stable compound is "low energy" because not much energy is released when you break that bond.

 

[JohnnnyD]

when they ask for the structure with the "highest energy" , they basically mean the most stable... Correct?

I was doing a problem and did the opposite, since i thought the greater the energy, the more unstable.... For example in a cyclohexane chair conformation 2 large groups would be in the equatorial position ( favorably) and thus would be most stable, thus least energy. But im wrong... i presume?

The structure with higher energy would be the less-stable structure. You are right about the chair conformation example. The structure is better stabilized (lower in energy) with the large groups in the equ. position versus the ax. position.

 

[spoog74]

The structure with higher energy would be the less-stable structure. You are right about the chair conformation example. The structure is better stabilized (lower in energy) with the large groups in the equ. position versus the ax. position.

wait, so then i was correct... topscore marked my answer wrong ...

The question basically asked which chair conformation has the highest energy? And i put the one with the groups in axial ...and it was marked incorrect... and the answer said that the equatorial position has the highest energy wtf

 

[JohnnnyD]

wait, so then i was correct... topscore marked my answer wrong ...

The question basically asked which chair conformation has the highest energy? And i put the one with the groups in axial ...and it was marked incorrect... and the answer said that the equatorial position has the highest energy wtf

Thats what I would have put, too. Maybe they F'ed up. I'm pretty sure we are both right tho, maybe wait for someone else to give some input to make sure?

 

[bharat008]

wait, so then i was correct... topscore marked my answer wrong ...

The question basically asked which chair conformation has the highest energy? And i put the one with the groups in axial ...and it was marked incorrect... and the answer said that the equatorial position has the highest energy wtf

I would put the same thing you did.
Groups in equatorial position would mean its stable and low in energy
Groups in axial position would mean its unstable and high in energy

You are right..

 

[Strag]

Barring a crazy exception, groups in equatorial>axial in terms of stability. If you put a group in an axial position, it causes steric hindrance (1,3 diaxial interaction with another group->higher energy and less stability).

In layman's term, putting it in equatorial position would put it further away from the group that is interacting with it...so the repulsive force is less and leads to more stability/less energy.