Why does the theoretical molecule cyclohexyne have a lot of ring strain?
C-C bonds are ideally at at 109.5°. Cycloalkane rings with fewer than 5 carbons are forced to have smaller C-C bond angles, and so possess significant ring strain and so are unstable.
CΞC bonds are ideally at 180°. Trying to force this to be a
smaller angle results in strain. Once you get to 8-membered rings
and higher, there's enough inherent "floppiness" brought about by
C-C bond rotations that the triple bond can be accommodated.
CΞC has sp hybridysation ie linear structure, but in cyclohexyne it
cant be formed as it has less then 8 carbon atom and has lots of
ring strain.
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