Question

Draw 1, 3, 5-trimethyl cyclohexane using a hexagon to represent the ring. How many cis-trans stereoisomers are possible?

Short answer

There are two pairs of cis-trans stereoisomers are possible.

Step-by-step solution

Cis-trans stereoisomers

Stereoisomers are the isomers that have the same connectivity but difference in the spatial arrangement of atoms in space.

Cis and trans isomers are comes under the category of geometrical isomers. In cis isomerism both the groups lie on the same side or we can say that either both are above the plane or both are below the plane.

For trans isomers both the groups are lies opposite to each other or, we can say if one group is above the plane then the other is below the plane.

Cis-trans stereoisomers for 1, 3, 5-trimethyl cyclohexane

There are two pairs of cis-trans stereoisomers possible for 1, 3, 5-trimethylcyclohexane. They are as follow;