From the Structure to the properties of Cycloalkanes: A didactic strategy based on the use of molecular modeling software

Abstract

The study of Cycloalkanes is important in the curriculum development of Chemistry in secondary school, given the frequency with which the distinctive cyclical structures of this group are found in nature. They appear in diverse compounds such as carbohydrates, steroids and antibiotics, substances that fulfill central functions in biological systems, as well as in petroleum, source of fuels and raw materials for the process industry. This paper presents a didactic strategy for the development of the conceptual unit corresponding to the structure and properties of the Cycloalkanes, based on the use of the free access molecular modeling program ACD/Chemsketch v12.01 with which students can generate, visualize and manipulate three-dimensional representations of the molecules of these compounds.