Constitutional (structural) isomers are compounds that have the
same molecular formula (same constitution) but a
different atom-to-atom bonding sequence. Since constitutional isomers have different physical properties, usually they can be separated easily from each other.
Constitutional isomers of C4H9Cl are used below to illustrate different atom-to-atom bonding sequences.
(1) CH
3CH
2CH
2CH
2Cl
(
2)

Constitutional (structural) isomers may have the
same functional group and the
same carbon skeleton (The carbon skeleton shows the arrangement of carbon atoms.), but the
functional group is at a
different carbon atom.
Examples of this type are the constitutional isomers (1) and (2).
This type of constitutional isomerism is also known as positional isomerism.
(
3)
Constitutional (structural) isomers may have the
same functional group and
different carbon skeletons.
Constitutional isomer (3) is a C4H9Cl isomer with a carbon skeleton different from that of (1) and (2).
Constitutional isomers that have different carbon skeletons are also known as chain isomers.