Final answer:
Isomers are compounds with identical molecular formulas but different structural arrangements, leading to various physical and chemical properties. This phenomenon is crucial both in organic chemistry, with examples like 1-butene and 2-butene, and in coordination chemistry.
Step-by-step explanation:
Isomers are compounds that have the same molecular formula but different structural formulas. An example of isomers are the compounds 1-butene and 2-butene, which despite sharing the molecular formula C4H8, they have contrasting physical and chemical properties due to their different structures. Structural isomers are a type of isomer where the molecules share a chemical formula but differ in the arrangement of their atoms, such as the different placements of a methyl group in pentane.
Another type of isomers, geometric isomers, are crucial in coordination chemistry. They feature the same formula but vary in the arrangements of the ligands around a central atom, affecting the compound's physical and chemical properties. Coordination compounds can exhibit similar types of isomers as organic compounds, as well as unique ones exclusive to their field.