Cyclooctene is the

cycloalkene In organic chemistry, a cycloalkene or cycloolefin is a type of alkene hydrocarbon which contains a closed Ring (chemistry), ring of carbon atoms and either one or more double bonds, but has no Aromaticity, aromatic character. Some cycloalkenes, ...

with a formula . Its molecule has a ring of 8

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalence, tetravalent—meaning that its atoms are able to form up to four covalent bonds due to its valence shell exhibiting 4 ...

atoms, connected by seven

single bond In chemistry, a single bond is a chemical bond between two atoms involving two valence electrons. That is, the atoms share one pair of electrons where the bond forms. Therefore, a single bond is a type of covalent bond. When shared, each of th ...

s and one

double bond In chemistry, a double bond is a covalent bond between two atoms involving four bonding electrons as opposed to two in a single bond. Double bonds occur most commonly between two carbon atoms, for example in alkenes. Many double bonds exist betw ...

. Cyclooctene is notable because it is the smallest cycloalkene that can exist stably as either the ''cis'' or ''trans''

stereoisomer In stereochemistry, stereoisomerism, or spatial isomerism, is a form of isomerism in which molecules have the same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms (constitution), but differ in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms in ...

, with ''cis''-cyclooctene being the most common. Theoretical analysis implies a total of 16 conformational and configurational isomers, all chiral, forming 8 enantiomeric pairs. The ''cis'' isomer can adopt various conformations, the most stable one being shaped like a ribbon. The most stable conformation of ''trans''-cyclooctene is shaped like the 8-carbon equivalent of the chair conformation of

cyclohexane Cyclohexane is a cycloalkane with the molecular formula . Cyclohexane is non-polar. Cyclohexane is a colourless, flammable liquid with a distinctive detergent-like odor, reminiscent of cleaning products (in which it is sometimes used). Cyclohexan ...

. Longer cycloalkene rings such as the ten-carbon cyclodecene also occur as ''cis'' and ''trans'' isomers.

References

External links

*{{Commonscatinline Cycloalkenes Eight-membered rings