Consider two chair conformations of 1,2-dimethylcyclohexane in which both methyl groups are equatorial in one conformation and both are axial in the other. These two structures are best described as:

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Conformers. Two chair conformations of the same compound (e.g., both-equatorial vs both-axial arrangement of substituents) are interconverted by ring flipping without breaking any bonds. They represent the same constitutional structure with different conformations — these are called conformers (or conformational isomers). Enantiomers and diastereomers are configurational stereoisomers requiring bond-breaking to interconvert. They are not identical either (they differ in 3D arrangement at a given instant). Hence the correct relationship is conformers.

Consider two chair conformations of 1,2-dimethylcyclohexane in which both methyl groups are equatorial in one conformation and both are axial in the other. These two structures are best described as:

Solution

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