Question

Explain why cyclohexane, a substance that contains a six-membered ring of carbon atoms, is not flat but instead has a puckered, non-planar shape. The Lewis structure for cyclohexane is shown on the left; the 3D structure on the right.

a) The carbon atoms in the ring are sp^3 hybridized.
b) The puckered shape minimizes steric hindrance between adjacent hydrogen atoms.
c) The planar structure violates the octet rule for carbon.
d) The planar shape would lead to unfavorable Van der Waals interactions.

Answer 1

Cyclohexane has a puckered, non-planar shape due to the sp3 hybridization of its carbon atoms, which leads to a tetrahedral arrangement and a bond angle of approximately 109.5°. The puckered shape minimizes steric hindrance between adjacent hydrogen atoms and reduces unfavorable Van der Waals interactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Cyclohexane, a substance that contains a six-membered ring of carbon atoms, has a puckered, non-planar shape due to several reasons:

a) The carbon atoms in the cyclohexane ring are sp3 hybridized, which means that they have four sigma bonds and adopt a tetrahedral arrangement. This arrangement leads to a puckered shape in order to reduce ring strain and achieve a bond angle of approximately 109.5°.

b) The puckered shape minimizes steric hindrance between adjacent hydrogen atoms. If the cyclohexane molecule were planar, the hydrogen atoms would be in close proximity, resulting in unfavorable repulsive interactions.

d) The planar shape would lead to unfavorable Van der Waals interactions. By adopting a puckered conformation, cyclohexane can have all bond angles close to the tetrahedral value and all hydrogen atoms staggered, minimizing these interactions.