Question

Three membered cyclic compounds are highly reactive because of :

• A. high degree of torsional strain
• B. high degree of angle strain
• C. high degree of steric strain
• D. all of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is B high degree of angle strain

In $C_3{H}_6$, the C-C-C bond angles are 60 whereas tetrahedral 109.5 bond angles are expected. The intense angle strain leads to nonlinear orbital overlap of its $s{p}^3$ orbitals. Because of the bond's instability, cyclopropane is more reactive than others.