Do either maleic or fumaric acids have dipolemoment?
I don't KNOW the answer to your question but I would think that maleic acid would have a dipole moment (perhaps not a large one) because it is not symmetrical and fumaric acid would be zero because it is symmetrical. I found a web site that listed maleic as ?D and one listing fumaric as 0 D.
To determine whether maleic or fumaric acids have a dipole moment, we first need to understand the structure of these compounds. Both maleic acid and fumaric acid are isomers of butenedioic acid with the molecular formula C₄H₄O₄.
Maleic acid has the structural formula HOOCCH=CHCOOH, while fumaric acid has the structural formula HOOCCH=CHCOOH.
A dipole moment occurs when a molecule has a separation of positive and negative charges, creating a polar bond. This separation of charges is often caused by differences in electronegativity between the atoms involved in the bond.
In maleic acid, the double bond (C=C) is in a cis configuration, meaning that the two carboxylic acid groups are on the same side of the molecule. This results in significant electron density towards one side of the molecule, creating a dipole moment. As a result, maleic acid does have a dipole moment.
In fumaric acid, the double bond (C=C) is in a trans configuration, meaning that the two carboxylic acid groups are on opposite sides of the molecule. This arrangement provides symmetry to the molecule, canceling out any dipole moment. Therefore, fumaric acid does not have a dipole moment.
In conclusion, maleic acid does have a dipole moment, while fumaric acid does not.