Question

How can I draw a Newman projection for cyclohexane?

Answer 1

The answer to this question is based on the stereochemistry part where one of the conformations of the cyclohexane that is in chair form is written in form of Newman projection.

Complete step by step answer:
- In the lower classes of organic chemistry, we have studied about the types of writing the structure of the molecule in the 3D form which comes under stereochemistry such as Newman projection, Fischer projection, Sawhorse projection and so on.
- We shall now see in detail about the Newmann projection and how can cyclohexane be written in the form of Newman projection.
- Stereochemistry is the study of a molecule in space in the three dimensional form and hence this is also called as 3D chemistry.
- Among the different types of projections, the Newmann projection is written in a way where the front carbon is represented as a dot and back carbon as a circle and the cyclic molecules are written in the form of their conformations.
Now, cyclohexane molecules are having different conformations and among that chair form is a more stable conformer.
Therefore, let us write the chair form of cyclohexane in the Newman projections.
- Cyclohexane in the chain form is as shown below,

This, compound in the Newman projection can be written in two form that are staggered form and eclipsed form which is shown below,

Note: Note that the difference between Newman and Sawhorse projection is that in Newman projection, we look along the carbon – carbon bond where the front carbon is represented as a dot and back carbon as circle but in Sawhorse projection, the molecule is viewed in oblique angle where both carbon atoms and the other atoms are viewed as binds.