AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Boat Conformation of Cyclohexane The boat conformation has unfavorable steric interactions between a pair of 1, 4 hydrogens (the so-called “flagpole” hydrogens) that are forced to be very close together (1.83Å). This steric hindrance creates a repulsion energy of about 12 kJ/mol.

Detailed explanation-2: -The boat conformation of cyclohexane has the so-called ‘flagpole hydrogens’ which cause some of its instability compared to the chair conformation.

Detailed explanation-3: -Boat Conformation Steric strain in the boat arises mainly from the repulsion (steric crowding) between the two hydrogens on the ends of the “boat. These hydrogens, shown in JSmol in magenta, are called flagpole hydrogens, because they point upward from the ends of the boat like two flagpoles.

Detailed explanation-4: -The flagpole interactions are specifically for the hydrogens or substituents that take up the two axial up positions, thus why they are flagpoles. Due to the boat conformation being this shape, it produces two axial up positions that look like flagpoles and result in steric strain.