what is sawhorse projection
Answers
Sawhorse Projections are very similar to Newman Projections, but are used more often because the carbon-carbon bond that is compressed in a Newman Projection is fully drawn out in a Sawhorse Projection. When properly laid-out, Sawhorse Projections are useful for determining enantiomeric or diasteromeric relationships between two molecules, because the mirror image or superimposibility relationships are clearer.
Like with Newman Projections, a Sawhorse Projection is a view of a molecule down a particular carbon-carbon bond, and groups connected to both the front and back carbons are drawn using sticks at 120 degree angles. Sawhorse Projections can also be drawn so that the groups on the front carbon are staggered (60 degrees apart) or eclipsed (directly overlapping) with the groups on the back carbon. Below are two Sawhorse Projections of ethane. The structure on the left is staggered, and the structure on the right is eclipsed. These are the simplest Sawhorse Projections because they have only two carbons, and all of the groups on the front and back carbons are identical.