What is cis-trans isomerism?
Answer:
A description of geometric isomerism referring to which side of the molecule the descriptive "bits" are. Easy memory tool is:
cis, pronounced "sis", sounds like "ssssame" as in "same side". Visit:
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/basicorg/isom...
Later you will encounter E/Z nomenclature and use the memory tool; Z as in "Zis" is exactly like "Cis"...Same Side (when spoken like: Zame Zide)
http://www.geocities.com/athens/thebes/5...
As far as I know (which isn't all that far), it means that you have a few isomers (different configurations of same molecule), but they end up having different properties. The one cis-trans example we studied involved ... some sort of Cl molecule. In one form it was nonpolar (cis), in another it was polar (trans) and basically... this is hard to type.. one looked like a "U" shape, turned up at both ends. The other was more "S" shaped, with a jag. Sorry that's probably not the most helpful answer in the world.
Cis-Trans/Geometrical isomerism is an example of stereo-isomerism (have identical molecular formulae, and the atoms are linked together in the same order, but have different relative positions in space).
Geometric or cis-trans isomers exist because the π bond of the C=C bond prevents free rotation.
Further reference: (Will help you understand it better)
http://chimge.unil.ch/en/complexes/1cpx1...
http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/mol...
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