Difference Between Conformation and Configuration

The key difference between conformation and configuration is that the conformations of the same molecule rapidly interconvert whereas the configurations of the same molecule do not readily interconvert.

Both terms conformation and configuration describes the spatial arrangement of a particular molecule. We use these terms chiefly in organic chemistry in order to determine the spatial arrangement of atoms in organic compounds.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Conformation
3. What is Configuration
4. Side by Side Comparison – Conformation vs Configuration in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Conformation?

Conformation refers to different arrangements of atoms in a molecule that can readily interconvert. These interconversions can occur at room temperature easily. Therefore, these structures are highly flexible.

However, the different structures cannot be separated from each other. These different structures result from rotations around carbon to carbon single bonds (C-C bonds). Anyway, we can get different conformations for the same molecule.

What is Configuration?

Configuration refers to different arrangements of atoms in a molecule that cannot readily interconvert. Therefore, these structures are less flexible. Unlike conformations, these structures are separable (we can separate one configuration from another).

In order to interconvert one structure into another, we may have to break existing chemical bonds or make new chemical bonds between atoms. For example, cis-trans structures are different configurations.

What is the Difference Between Conformation and Configuration?

Conformation refers to different arrangements of atoms in a molecule that can readily interconvert whereas configuration refers to different arrangements of atoms in a molecule that cannot readily interconvert. This is the key difference between conformation and configuration. Moreover, conformations are inseparable from each other while the configurations of the same molecule are separable. In addition to that, we can interconvert conformations via rotating the molecule around a carbon to carbon single bond. We have to break existing bonds and make new chemical bonds in order to convert one configuration into another.

The below infographic presents the difference between conformation and configuration in tabular form.

Summary – Conformation vs Configuration

Conformations and configurations describe the 3D structures of chemical compounds; mainly in organic compounds. Even though there are some differences between these two concepts, the key difference between conformation and configuration; conformations of the same molecule rapidly interconvert whereas configurations of the same molecule do not readily interconvert.

Reference:

1. “Conformations.” Master Organic Chemistry RSS. Available here
2. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Configuration.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 Sept. 2007. Available here 

Image Courtesy:

1.”Interconversion between eclipsed and gauche conformations”By Mr.Holmium – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia  
2.”Cis-trans”By D.328 2008/03/10 19:38 (UTC), (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia