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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Winga on May 28, 2005, 12:57:55 PM

Title: Is this compound planar?
Post by: Winga on May 28, 2005, 12:57:55 PM
And how about cyclobutadiene?
Title: Re:Is this compound planar?
Post by: movies on May 29, 2005, 12:55:37 PM
This one isn't entirely planar because it has one sp3 carbon.  The atoms in cyclobutanes tend to pucker a little bit to avoid being planar.

What special factors do you think would affect cyclobutadiene?
Title: Re:Is this compound planar?
Post by: Grafter on May 30, 2005, 07:13:04 AM
You can't get cyclobutadiene, as it it antiaromatic.
Title: Re:Is this compound planar?
Post by: Mitch on May 30, 2005, 12:07:41 PM
Quote from: Grafter on May 30, 2005, 07:13:04 AM
You can't get cyclobutadiene, as it it antiaromatic.

If you complex it with a metal you can make it "stable". Although, free cyclobutadiene would immediately go through a Jahn-Teller distortion.
Title: Re:Is this compound planar?
Post by: movies on May 30, 2005, 02:52:43 PM
Quote from: Mitch on May 30, 2005, 12:07:41 PM
If you complex it with a metal you can make it "stable". Although, free cyclobutadiene would immediately go through a Jahn-Teller distortion.

You can force the release of cyclobutadiene from these metal complexes too, but for obvious reasons it's highly reactive.