1,3-diaxial interactions

Definition

1,3-Diaxial interactions are steric hindrances between axial substituents on a cyclohexane ring and hydrogen atoms located on the same side of the ring, three carbons away. These interactions can affect the stability and chemical behavior of cyclohexane conformations.

Related terms

Cyclohexane: A saturated hydrocarbon with a six-membered ring structure that can adopt different conformations due to the flexibility of its carbon-carbon bonds.

Axial position: One of two types of positions that substituents on a cyclohexane ring can occupy, characterized by being perpendicular to the plane of the ring and leading to higher energy due to 1,3-diaxial interactions.

Equatorial position: The second type of position for substituents on a cyclohexane ring that lies roughly parallel to the plane of the ring, often more stable due to reduced steric hindrance compared to axial positions