conformational isomers

From: Dongchul Lim <lim;at;rani.chem.yale.edu>
Subject: conformational isomers
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 95 4:08:12 EST

 Is there a simple way of testing if two given conformational isomers
 are equivalent?
 E.g., how can you know the gauche (+) conformer of n-butane is
 equivalent to the gauche (-) conformer?
 My idea is
 1) superimpose the two conformers.
 2) if they are not superimposed, superimpose the one conformer
    and the mirror image of the other.
 Any ideas?
 -D.L.