2. Examine the conjugated molecule below.
a. Are all eight atoms in the octatriene involved in the conjugated pi system? Which
ones are not? How do you know? Make a generalization about atoms that cannot
be involved in pi systems.
b. Draw the frontier molecular orbital (FMO) diagram for (all trans)-2,4-6-octatriene.
Be sure to appropriately label all axes and relative energy levels. Elucidate
how/where the FMO diagram indicates that conjugation is a stabilizing
phenomenon.

3. While conjugation is relatively easy to recognize in simple linear chains of
conjugated pi bonds, it can be difficult to see in more complicated systems such as
those with heteroatoms, cations, anions, and/or cycles. One must diligently examine
molecules according to the rules you listed in #1 and #2a above in order to
determine the extent of conjugation. For example, examine the three conjugated pi
systems below:
a. Devise a stepwise strategy that will allow you to determine the number of atoms
and electrons in complicated pi systems. Then apply your strategy to determine
the number of atoms and electrons in each of the pi systems above.
b. Hopefully, your strategy from #3a helped you conclude that each of the
cycloheptene systems above are conjugated, yet differ in the number of atoms
and/or electrons in their pi systems. If not, revise your strategy until you are able
to arrive at the correct answers

DETAILED ASSIGNMENT

20210316051823conjugation_worksheet