Chemistry > Isomerism > 3.0 Tautomerism

  Isomerism
    1.0 Isomerism
    2.0 Structural Isomerism
    3.0 Tautomerism
    4.0 Geometrical isomerism in the compounds containing C=N
    5.0 Optical Isomerism
    6.0 Optical isomerism in compounds having more than one chiral carbons
    7.0 Optically active compounds having no asymmetric carbon

3.1 Structural requirement for tautomrism

(i) Compound should have electronegative atom bonded with multiple bond (i.e. $N $and $O$).

(ii) Compound should have atleast one acidic hydrogen present on $\alpha - $carbon of the molecule.

It is two conditions are fulfilled then compound will show tautomerism. For example.



These compounds fulfill both the conditions, hence these will show tautomerism.




In these compounds electronegative atom is bonded with multiple bond but compound has no hydrogen on $\alpha - $carbon hence these compounds will not show tautomerism.

If compound has active methylene group (or) active methyne group then $\alpha - $carbon for tautomerism is always carbon of active methylene (or) methyne group. For example



These compounds will also show tautomerism because these compounds fulfill both structural requirements.

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