Archive for September 12th, 2012

What is the range of values for a (sp3)C-C(sp3) single bond length?

Wednesday, September 12th, 2012

Here is a challenge: what is the longest C-C bond actually determined (in which both carbon termini are sp3 hybridised)? I pose this question since Steve Bachrach has posted on how to stabilize long bonds by attractive dispersive interactions, and more recently commenting on what the longest straight chain alkane might be before dispersive interaction start to fold it (the answer appears to be C17).

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The history of stereochemical notation: a search for the earliest example.

Wednesday, September 12th, 2012

All organic chemists are familiar with the stereochemical notation for bonds, as shown below. But I had difficulty tracking down when it was introduced, and by whom. I offer a suggestion here, but if anyone reading this blog has got a better/earlier attribution, please let us know!

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The Sn2 reaction: followed up.

Wednesday, September 12th, 2012

An obvious issue to follow-up my last post on the (solvated) intrinisic reaction coordinate for the Sn2 reaction is how variation of the halogen (X) impacts upon the nature of the potential.

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