What is Isomerism ?
“Isomerism is the phenomenon in which more than one compounds have the same chemical formula but different chemical structures.“
Chemical compounds that have identical chemical formulae but differ in properties and the arrangement of atoms in the molecule are called isomers. Therefore, the compounds that exhibit isomerism are known as isomers.
The Greek words “isos” and “meros,” which mean “equal parts,” are the source of the English word “isomer.” Jacob Berzelius, a Swedish chemist, first used this term in 1830.
Chain Isomerism
It is also known as skeletal isomerism.
The components of these isomers display differently branched structures.
Commonly, chain isomers differ in the branching of carbon
An example of chain isomerism can be observed in the compound C5H12, as illustrated below
