In chemistry, an open-chain compound (also spelled as open chain compound) or

acyclic compound (Greek prefix "α", without and "κύκλος", cycle) is a compound with
a linear structure, rather than a cyclic one.[1] An open-chain compound having no
side chains is called a straight-chain compound (also spelled as straight chain
compound).[2][3] Many of the simple molecules of organic chemistry, such as the
alkanes and alkenes, have both linear and ring isomers, that is, both acyclic and
cyclic, with the latter often classified as aromatic. For those with 4 or more
carbons, the linear forms can have straight-chain or branched-chain isomers. The
lowercase prefix n- denotes the straight-chain isomer; for example, n-butane is
straight-chain butane, whereas i-butane is isobutane. Cycloalkanes are isomers of
alkenes, not of alkanes, because the ring's closure involves a C-C bond. Having no
rings (aromatic or otherwise), all open-chain compounds are aliphatic.

Typically in biochemistry, some isomers are more prevalent than others. For
example, in living organisms, the open-chain isomer of glucose usually exists only
transiently, in small amounts; D-glucose is the usual isomer; and L-glucose is
rare.

Straight-chain molecules are often not literally straight, in the sense that their
bond angles are often not 180°, but the name reflects that they are schematically
straight. For example, the straight-chain alkanes are wavy or "puckered", as the
models below show.

Isopentane svg.svg Pentane-2D-Skeletal.svg Cyclopentane2d.png

branched-chain straight-chain cyclic
open-chain

n-nonane

Above the open-chain forms of glucose and mannose. Below the cyclic forms.
References
IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book") (1997).
Online corrected version: (2006–) "polycyclic system". doi:10.1351/goldbook.P04724
Coles, Lydia (1968). "A chromatographic method for the separation of branched-
chain and straight-chain compounds of columns containing urea". Journal of
Chromatography A. 32 (4): 657–661. doi:10.1016/S0021-9673(01)80544-6. PMID 5645558.
IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book") (1997).
Online corrected version: (2006–) "silazanes". doi:10.1351/goldbook.S05669
Category: Molecular geometry
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