Question

b) Discuss the relative stabilities of various conformations of 1,3-dimethylcylohexane.

Answer 1

The conformation analysis of cis 1,3-dimethylcyclohexane, both the e,e and a,a conformer posses a sigma( σ)plane and hence it is optically inactive; no question of resolution arises. In a,a conformer there is two extra gauche butane interaction and hence the e, e conformer is more populated.