Rotation around carbon-carbon

Question:

Rotation around carbon-carbon single bond of ethane is not completely free. Justify the statement.

Solution:

The single bond in ethane is a σ – bond, which is a coaxial overlap of orbitals, so the C ─ C bond can be rotated on its axis. But this rotation is not completely free due to the torsional strain that the bond undergoes due to rotation.

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