1. Rotation about Single Bonds: Conformations
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Rotation about Single Bonds: Conformations
Rotation interconverts the conformations of ethane.
The barrier to rotation of the two methyl groups in ethane is approximately 2.9 kcal/mol. Since this amount of energy is readily available at room temperature from molecular collisions, the methyl groups are said to have free rotation.
The rotation motions within ethane can be represented by the dashed/wedged notation:
During the rotation, the conformation moves from the staggered to the eclipsed, and to a second staggered conformation.

2. Newman projections depict the conformations of ethane.
The Newman projection is an alternative to using the dashed/edged notation:w

3. The rotamers of ethane have different potential energies.
The point of lowest potential during the C-C bond rotation in ethane is at the staggered conformation, the highest potential energy is at the eclipsed conformation (about 2.9 kcal/mole higher).
The lifetime of the eclipsed conformation is extremely short and this conformation represents a transition state connecting two staggered conformations.

4. Rotation in Substituted Ethanes
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Rotation in Substituted Ethanes
Steric hindrance raises the energy barrier to rotation.
The potential energy diagram for C-C bond rotation in propane shows steric hindrance. The energy of the eclipsed conformation is 3.2 kcal/mole above that of the staggered conformation.

5. There can be more than one staggered and one eclipsed conformation: conformational analysis of butane.
There are two different types of staggered arrangements in butane. One in which the two terminal methyl groups are 180o apart (Anti), and two in which they are 30o apart (Gauche).
These are connected by two types of eclipsed conformations, one in which the two methyl groups pass each other, and two in which the methyl groups pass by hydrogen atoms:

6. The transition state (eclipsed conformation) energies are 3
The transition state (eclipsed conformation) energies are 3.6 kcal/mol and 4.0 kcal/mol in butane:
The most stable anti conformation represents about 72% of the confomers present at 25% while the less stable gauche conformation represents about 28% of the confomers present.