Eclipsed conformation

For other possible meanings of the terms "eclipse" and "eclipsed", see eclipse.

Main article: Alkane stereochemistry

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In chemistry an eclipsed conformation is a chemical conformation that exists in any open chain single chemical bond connecting two sp³ hybridised atoms as a conformational energy maximum. This maximum is often explained by steric hindrance, but its origins sometimes actually lie in hyperconjugation (as when the eclipsing interaction is of two hydrogen atoms).

In the example of ethane in Newman projection it shows that rotation around the carbon-carbon bond is not entirely free but that an energy barrier exists. The ethane molecule in the eclipsed conformation is said to suffer from torsional strain and by a rotation around the carbon carbon bond to the staggered conformation around 12.5 kJ/mol of torsional energy is released.