configurational isomer
- noun
- /kənˌfɪɡjʊˈreɪʃənəl ˈaɪsəˌmɚ/
- Specialized
:
isómero configuracional
- The two compounds are configurational isomers and cannot be interconverted without breaking covalent bonds.
Examples
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Chemists distinguish between configurational isomers such as cis-trans and enantiomers based on their stereochemistry.
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A key property of a configurational isomer is its stability against simple rotation about bonds.
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A configurational isomer cannot be interconverted without breaking bonds.
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What is a configurational isomer?
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Chemists study configurational isomers to understand how molecular structure affects chemical reactions.
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The two molecules are configurational isomers, differing only in the arrangement of atoms around their stereocenters.
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To convert one configurational isomer into another, you must break and reform the covalent bonds at the stereocenter.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built: 'configurational' (involving arrangement) modifies 'isomer' (compounds sharing a formula but differing in structure), so the meaning — an isomer distinguished by a difference in arrangement/configuration — follows directly from the parts. Although the concept is technical, the semantic relation is transparent and would be inferable to a learner who already knows the constituent terms.
Etymology
The noun configurational isomer comes from the idea of a fixed configuration ('arrangement') of the same parts. Imagine two toy models made from the same pieces but locked together in different ways so you must take them apart to change one into the other. That's why a configurational isomer is a molecule with the 'same parts' in a different layout and can only become the other form if bonds are broken.
