Equal amounts of (e, e) and (a, a) conformers of trans-1,2-dichloro cyclohexane exist in non-polar solvents but the (e, e) conformer exists in polar solvents. Explain.

Explanation

(I)
In (I), there is dipole-dipole repulsion between two equation C1 atoms. It partially destabilises the sterically more fovoured (e, e) conformed bot not the (a, a) conformed (II) where C1 atoms are further apart. Therefore, the conformers (I) and (II) coxist together because their energies are very close. But the polar solvent molecules surround the C1 atoms by dipole-dipole attraction and relieve the dipole-dipole repulsion between C` atoms themselves. Hence, the lower energy (e, e) conformation (I) perdominates in polar solvents.