spiro[2. 2]pentane, a spirocyclic molecule

bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane

A bicyclic molecule contains two fused aliphatic rings. In Organic chemistry, compounds composed of Carbon and Hydrogen are divided into two classes Aromatic compounds which contain Benzene rings In Organic chemistry, a cyclic compound is a compound in which a series of carbon atoms are connected to form a loop or ring Fusion can occur in three ways:

1. At a single atom (spirocyclic),
2. At two mutually bonded atoms or
3. Across a sequence of atoms (bridgehead).

All these systems occur frequently in naturally-occurring organic compounds. An example is norbornane (bicyclo[2. Norbornane (also known as bicycloheptane) is an Organic compound and a saturated Hydrocarbon with Chemical formula C7H12 2. 1]heptane).

Bicyclic molecules have a strict nomenclature. The IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry is a systematic method of naming organic chemical compounds as recommended by the International Union of Pure and Applied ^[1] On its simplest level the parent hydrocarbon is the equivalent open carbon alkane. Alkanes, also known as Paraffins are Chemical compounds that consist only of the elements Carbon (C and Hydrogen (H (i In front of it is added the prefix bicyclo and between brackets and in descending order the number of carbon atoms in each of the rings not counting the bridgeheads. An affix is a Morpheme that is attached to a stem to form a word For example in bicyclo[2,2,1]heptane the carbon frame contains a total of 7 atoms hence the parent name heptane. n -Heptane is the straight-chain Alkane with the Chemical formula H3C(CH25CH3 or C7H16 This molecule has three bridges having 2, 2 and 1 carbon atoms hence the prefix bicyclo[2,2,1].

A bridge is an unbranched chain of atoms or an atom or a covalent bond connecting two bridgeheads in a polycyclic compound. History See also Atomic theory, Atomism The concept that matter is composed of discrete units and cannot be divided into arbitrarily tiny In Organic chemistry, a polycyclic compound is a Cyclic compound with more than one hydrocarbon loop or ring structures ( Benzene rings.

The main bridge is a bridge which connects the two main bridgeheads.

A secondary bridge is any bridge not included in the main ring or the main bridge.

An independent secondary bridge links bridgeheads which are part of the main ring or main bridge.

A dependent secondary bridge links at least one bridgehead which is part of a secondary bridge.

References

1. ^ IUPAC nomenclature for bicyclics