Chemical structure

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chemical structure refers to both molecular geometry and to electronic structure. Molecular geometry refers to the spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule and the chemical bonds that hold the atoms together. Molecular geometry can range from the very simple, such as diatomic oxygen or nitrogen molecules, to the very complex, such as protein or DNA molecules. Molecular geometry can be roughly represented using a structural formula. Electronic structure describes the occupation of a compound's molecular orbitals.

The following are common methods for determining chemical structure:

• X-ray diffraction
• Proton NMR
• Carbon NMR
• Infrared Spectroscopy

The following are common methods for determining electronic structure:

• Electron-spin resonance
• Cyclic voltammetry
• Electron Absorption Spectroscopy

[edit] See also

• Molecular geometry
• Chemical conformation
• Pauli exclusion principle