So I came across this diagram,the other day:
As a chemistry student, I am well-versed with the dashed and wedged lines, but I was wondering what the wavy and the dotted line represent?
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3$\begingroup$ See also Graphical Representation Standards for Chemical Structure Diagrams (IUPAC Recommendations 2008) and Graphical Representation of Stereochemical Configuration (IUPAC Recommendations 2006). $\endgroup$– user7951May 4, 2016 at 14:57
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2 Answers
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I was wondering what the wavy and the dotted line represent?
- A dashed line indicates that the bond is extending behind the plane of the drawing surface
- A bold-wedged line indicates that the bond is protruding out from the plane of the drawing surface
- A solid line indicates that the bond exists in the plane of the drawing surface.
- A wavy line indicates that the stereochemistry of the bond is unknown.
- A dotted line indicates that the bond is not a full bond, it is only a partial bond as in a hydrogen bond or a partially formed or broken bond in a transition state. Also, as Mrigank Pawagi notes in the comments, the dotted line can be used along with the solid line to denote bonds that have partial double bond character due to resonance.
- An arrow indicates a dative bond in which both electrons in the bond originate from one atom (not common)
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5$\begingroup$ As a side note, I would guide the OP to their second virtual friend. $\endgroup$– M.A.R.Apr 10, 2015 at 13:29
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1$\begingroup$ I think dotted lines are more often used for intermolecular attractions and dashed lines for partial bonds. $\endgroup$– JoriApr 10, 2015 at 21:01
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2$\begingroup$ A wavy line could also mean isomerises rapidly, e.g. a methyl group between two carbonyls. $\endgroup$– JanMay 4, 2016 at 14:07
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$\begingroup$ The Dotted line is also used to denote bonds in resonance hybrids. $\endgroup$ Jul 6, 2020 at 3:14
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$\begingroup$ The arror is not uncommon at all, look at n-oxides $\endgroup$– MäßigeJun 11 at 9:18
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The wavy line usually represents either that that part of the molecule is unimportant or that the stereochemistry at that specific position is unimportant (or unknown).
The dotted line usually represents intermolecular interactions, like hydrogen bonds. Dashed lines refer mostly to partial bonds such as in the transition state.
