isomers
compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas (structural isomers or constitutional isomers)
Isomers are molecules with the same molecular formula but different structural arrangements of the atoms. In other words, isomers have the same number and type of atoms, but the atoms are arranged differently in space. The term isomer comes from the Greek words “iso,” meaning same, and “meros,” meaning part. Isomers have different physical and chemical properties due to their different arrangements of atoms.
There are two main types of isomers: structural isomers and stereoisomers. Structural isomers have different bonding arrangements of the atoms; for example, butane and isobutane are both isomers of C4H10, but they have different branching arrangements of their carbon chains. Stereoisomers have the same bonding arrangements but differ in their three-dimensional orientation. One example of stereoisomers is cis-trans isomers, where two groups on a double bond are arranged either on the same side (cis) or opposite sides (trans).
Isomers have important applications in fields such as pharmacology, where the differences in molecular arrangement between isomers can have significant effects on their interactions with biological molecules in the body. Understanding the properties and differences of isomers is therefore crucial in many areas of science and technology.
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