In
chemistry,
conformational isomerism is a form of
stereoisomerism in which the
isomers can be interconverted exclusively by rotations about formally single bonds (refer to figure on single bond rotation). Such isomers are generally referred to as
conformational isomers or
conformers and, specifically, as
rotamers. Rotations about single bonds are restricted by a rotational energy barrier which must be overcome to interconvert one conformer to another. Conformational isomerism arises when the rotation about a single bond is relatively unhindered. That is, the
energy barrier must be small enough for the interconversion to occur.