Isomer

Isomer

An Isomer is a type of molecule that shares the same chemical formula with another molecule, but has a different chemical structure. This phenomenon is known as isomerism, and the molecules that exhibit this property are called isomers.

Types of Isomers

There are two main types of isomers: structural isomers and stereoisomers.

Structural Isomers

Structural isomers, also known as constitutional isomers, have the same molecular formula but different chemical bonding patterns and atomic organization. Examples of structural isomers include chain isomerism, functional group isomerism, tautomeric isomerism, and ring-chain isomerism.

Stereoisomers

Stereoisomers are isomers that have the same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms, but differ in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms in space. This type of isomerism includes geometric isomerism and optical isomerism.

Isomerism in Organic Chemistry

In organic chemistry, isomerism is a fundamental concept, as there are many sets of compounds known as functional groups that share the same molecular formula but have vastly different chemical properties due to their different structures.

Isomerism in Inorganic Chemistry

Isomerism also occurs in inorganic chemistry. For example, coordination compounds often exhibit isomerism because of the various ways the ligands can be arranged around the central atom.

See Also

• Chemical compound
• Molecular geometry
• Chemical structure
• Chemical bond
• Organic chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry

References

Isomer Resources
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