Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
S
:
TRUCTURE
LONG
HYDROCARBON
CHAINS
Extended chain of carbon atoms
Coiled chain of carbon atoms
Because of the atoms' freedom to rotate about single bonds, a chain of carbon
atoms can achieve various positions in space. On one extreme is the zig-zag
extended chain and on the other is a coil. Such spatial structures become
particularly important in determining properties of very long chained com-
pounds known as polymers
(Chapter 5).
