Question

1. Draw a wedge/dash structure for trans-1,2-dimethylcyclohexane.

2. Draw the chair structure of the compound.
3. Draw the ring-flipped structure of the compound.
4. Identify which of these structures is the most stable or if both are equal in energy.

Answer 1

The structure with the ring flipped is the most stable

Step-by-step explanation:

We have the trans 1,2 - dimethylcyclohexane. With the wedge/dash structure we could not figure is this form is stable (If we do a comparison with the cis structure). But when we do a chair structure and ring flipped structure, this is easier to look.

The picture attached shows the structures, they are labeled as 1, 2 and 3, according to this problem.

In the chair structure, according to the picture below, you can see that both methyls are heading in the axial positions of the ring (One facing upward and the other downward). This is pretty stable, however, when the methyls are in those positions, the methyl position 1, can undergoes an 1,3 diaxial interactions with the hydrogens atoms (They are not drawn, but still are there), so this interaction makes this structure a little less stable that it can be.

On the other side, the ring flipped structure, we can see that both methyls are in the equatorials positions of the ring, and in these positions, it can avoid the 1,4 diaxial interactions with the hydrogens atoms, making this structure the most stable structure.

Hope this helps