In chemistry, a chemical conformation is the spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule. Molecules in which atoms are linked together in the same way, but in which their spatial arrangement are different, are called conformational isomers or conformers (contrast to structural isomers and Stereoisomerism). Different conformers can interconvert by rotation around single bonds, without breaking chemical bonds. Since the rotations have different energy barriers, some conformations are more stable than others. An example of where this can easily be see is protein folding, where some shapes are stable and functonal, but others are not. Butane is another classic example. It has a total of six possible conformations, of which only three are stable. Rotamers are a set of conformers and the rotation barrier is the activation energy required to jump from one conformer to another conformer. Chemistry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Properties An atom (Greek άτομον from ά: non and τομον: divisible) is a submicroscopic structure found in all ordinary matter. ... A molecule is the smallest particle of a pure chemical substance that still retains its chemical composition and properties. ... In chemistry, isomers are molecules with the same chemical formula and often with the same kinds of bonds between atoms, but in which the atoms are arranged differently. ... Stereoisomerism is the arrangement of atoms in molecules whose connectivity remains the same but their arrangement in space is different in each isomer. ... A chemical bond is the phenomenon of atoms being held together in molecules, crystals or in solid metal. ... Protein folding is the process by which a protein structure assumes its functional shape or conformation. ... Butane, also called n-butane, is the unbranched alkane with four carbon atoms, CH3CH2CH2CH3. ... The activation energy in chemistry is the energy needed by a system to initiate a particular process. ...

Chemical conformations can be drawn in several ways. Sawhorse representation views a C-C bond from an oblique angle. Newman projections, developed by Melvin S. Newman of The Ohio State University, view a C-C bond from front to back, front carbon as a dot and back carbon as a circle.

Molecule of butane in syn-clinal (-sc) conformation
sawhorse projection	Newman projection

Chemical conformations exist in many classes of molecules: Butane, also called n-butane, is the unbranched alkane with four carbon atoms, CH3CH2CH2CH3. ... Image File history File links Sawhorse representation of butane molecule in -synclinal (gauche) conformation. ... Image File history File links Newman projection of butane molecule in -synclinal (gauche) conformation. ...

• Alkanes can be seen to have two possible conformations between each of their C-C bonds. Staggered is a conformation where hydrogens of one carbon are rotated 60 degrees from the hydrogens on the other carbon. Eclipsed is a conformation where the hydrogens on the different carbons are superposed. Staggered versus ecplised follows a Boltzmann distribution from pure staggered to pure eclipsed.

The subscript i and j represent the highest and lowest energy, ecplised and staggered. g is the number of conformations found at that particular energy, the degeneracy. N is the population of molecules in a particular conformation. An alkane in organic chemistry is a type of hydrocarbon in which the molecule has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms and so has no double bonds (they are saturated). ... In chemistry a staggered conformation is a chemical conformation that exists in any open chain single chemical bond connecting two sp3 hybridised atoms as a conformational energy minimum. ... In chemistry an eclipsed conformation is a chemical conformation that exists in any open chain single chemical bond connecting two sp3 hybridised atoms as a conformational energy maximum due to steric hindrance. ... The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution is a probability distribution with applications in physics and chemistry. ...

• Butane can adopt a two additional staggered conformations, the anti conformation and gauche conformation
• in cycloalkanes puckered conformations exist
• in cyclohexanes, a substituent forms a equatorial bond or a axial bond