Alkanes

Cards (14)

    1. methyl butane
    • Functional group is C-C single bond
  • Intermolecular forces
    Van der Waals forces
  • Increasing chain length

    Increases melting/boiling points due to stronger van der Waals forces
  • All alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons</b>
  • All carbon-carbon bonds in alkanes are single bonds
  • Hydrocarbon
    A molecule containing only carbon and hydrogen
  • Sigma (σ) bond
    A normal covalent bond formed by the overlap of atomic orbitals
  • All C-C-H bonds in alkanes can be considered as tetrahedral
  • Physical properties of alkanes
    • Melting/boiling points increase with chain length
    • Branching decreases melting/boiling points due to less efficient packing
    • Solubility in water decreases with increasing chain length
  • Combustion of alkanes
    • Complete combustion with excess oxygen produces CO2 and H2O
    • Incomplete combustion with limited oxygen produces CO and H2O
  • Halogenation of alkanes
    1. Initiation
    2. Propagation
    3. Termination
  • Reaction mechanism
    Shows the steps in a chemical reaction
  • Photochlorination of methane
    • Initiation: Cl2 -> 2Cl
    • Propagation: Cl + CH4 -> HCl + CH3
    • Termination: CH3 + CH3 -> C2H6
  • The mechanism for halogenation of alkanes is free radical substitution