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JEE Main levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 2 of 3hc173

Rotation about the C2-C3 bond of butane gives anti (A), gauche (G), partially eclipsed (P, a eclipsing H) and fully eclipsed (F, eclipsing ) conformations. The order of increasing potential energy is:

  1. AA < G < P < F
  2. BG < A < P < F
  3. CA < P < G < F
  4. DA < G < F < P

Answer: A

Anti has the methyl groups farthest apart and is the global minimum. Gauche has steric repulsion between methyls and lies a little higher. Staggered forms are lower than eclipsed ones, and the fully eclipsed form with two methyls opposed is the maximum.
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