Conformational Isomerism - Equilibrium Population of Conformers

Equilibrium Population of Conformers

The population of different conformers follows a Boltzmann distribution:

 \frac{N_i}{N_{total}}
=
\frac {e^{-E_{rel}/RT}} {\sum_{k=1}^{N_{total}} e^{-E_k/RT} }

The left hand side is the equilibrium ratio of conformer i to the total. is the relative energy of the i-th conformer from the minimum energy conformer. is the relative energy of the k-th conformer from the minimum energy conformer. R is the molar ideal gas constant equal to 8.31 J/(mol·K) and T is the temperature in kelvins (K). The denominator of the right side is the partition function.

Read more about this topic:  Conformational Isomerism

Famous quotes containing the words equilibrium and/or population:

    They who feel cannot keep their minds in the equilibrium of a pair of scales: fear and hope have no equiponderant weights.
    Horace Walpole (1717–1797)

    The population of the world is a conditional population; these are not the best, but the best that could live in the existing state of soils, gases, animals, and morals: the best that could yet live; there shall be a better, please God.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)