How do I learn to make isomers for a compound?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the confusion and difficulty in creating isomers for compounds with double and triple bonds. The speaker also expresses frustration with finding that there are more isomers than they initially thought, and asks if there is an easier way to check if their list of isomers is complete. The response is that there is no easy way to guarantee a complete list of isomers, but one can design a recursive algorithm to generate all possible isomers, although this may result in repeats and chemically impossible structures. The speaker then asks for further elaboration on this method.
  • #1
Anithadhruvbud
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I get so confused when it comes to making isomers for a compound like propanol,di ethyl ketone and those which has double and triple bonds.
It seems I can make an isomer by changing the position of double bonds too.
Isn't there any easy way to do it? Also When I come up with 4 isomers for a compound,internet already contains 8 of them and then I wonder why I didn't get the idea to arrange them into four more by changing the positions further more.It would look as if the 4 isomers I came up with are the only ones available until I get to refer the websites.
So is there any way to check whether the number of isomers I came up with are correct ones?
 
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  • #2
Anithadhruvbud said:
Isn't there any easy way to do it?
Short answer? "No." Slightly longer answer? You are talking isomers; the number of configurations/conformations/congeners/xxxxxxxs expands rapidly; get beyond a dozen atoms and very few people are able to guarantee a complete list.
 
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Whether it counts as an easy method depends on what you call easy. It is not that difficult to design a recurrent algorithm that will generate all possible isomers of a compound with a given formula - choose one atom as a starting one. For the incomplete molecule for each bond sticking out try to add another atom from the formula till you run out of atoms.

While this is guaranteed to generate all possible isomers, there are two problems - one, many of the generated formulas will repeat, second, many of them are chemically impossible.
 
  • #4
Borek said:
For the incomplete molecule for each bond sticking out try to add another atom from the formula till you run out of atoms.
Can you just elaborate more on this,please?
 

1. What is an isomer?

An isomer is a compound that has the same molecular formula as another compound, but has a different structural arrangement of its atoms. This results in different physical and chemical properties for each isomer.

2. How do I identify isomers for a compound?

To identify isomers for a compound, you must first draw out the structural formula for the compound. Then, you can rearrange the atoms in different ways to create different isomers. Remember to pay attention to the bonding patterns and spatial arrangements of the atoms.

3. Why are isomers important in chemistry?

Isomers are important in chemistry because they have different properties and can behave differently in reactions. This allows scientists to create and study different versions of a compound to better understand its properties and potential uses.

4. How do I make isomers for a compound?

To make isomers for a compound, you can use a variety of methods such as changing the order of atom connectivity, rotating bonds, or adding/subtracting functional groups. It is important to consult a reliable source or use a chemical modeling software to ensure accuracy.

5. Are all compounds capable of having isomers?

No, not all compounds are capable of having isomers. The possibility of isomerism depends on the complexity and arrangement of atoms in the compound. Compounds with more than one type of atom or with multiple bonds are more likely to have isomers.

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