stable; the ring-strain energies being 16.7 and 7.4 kcal/mol, respectively.

A planar arrangement of the ring carbons would be too strained, and therefore the stable conformations of the trans form have a bent (non-planar) ring. Computations indicate that the most stable "crown" conformation has the carbon atoms alternately above and below the plane of the ring. A "half-chair" conformation, with about 6 kcal/mol higher energy, has carbons 2,3,5,6, and 8 on the same side of the plane of carbons