Stereochemistry

Heptalene has two fused 7-membered rings and is not flat. Its twisted structure makes it chiral, but heptalene itself cannot be resolved because the two forms rapidly interconvert

PROB: Please elaborate the highlighted portion.

6 Answers

1
redion ·

@ vivek check out the structure of heptalene on wiki no sp3 carbon so which carbon is chiral???

71
Vivek @ Born this Way ·

That's not a problem. Explain what is meant by resolution?

Does that mean separation of enatiomeric forms?

11
Khyati ·

Yeah Vivek it means the same that you are thinking about.

106
Asish Mahapatra ·

@redion : there are loads of compounds which are chiral despite having NO chiral carbon .

@vivek : yup ur interpretation is correct .. it means that although compound is chiral it cannot be separated into enantiomeric forms due to rapid interconversion between the two chiral compounds

1
redion ·

thank u ashish bhaiya , i had always thought that chirality was alaways associated with sp3 hybrid carbon , but after reading your post and on wiki i've realised that actually any form of asymmetry in the molecule causes it to possess stereoisomers, " Am i correct"??? also can u plz. give any example that " there are loads of compounds which are chiral despite having NO chiral carbon"

71
Vivek @ Born this Way ·

Cummulenes, Spiranes , Biphenyls, Metallocenes, Paracyclohepanes, Perchloro triphenylamine etc.,

Your Answer

Close [X]