Methane CH4
- a minor component of natural gas (10%)
used as an industrial fuel, and in home heating and cooking.
Propane, CH3CH2CH3 (C3H8)
ethanethiol
Butane
Butane, CH3CH2CH2CH3, (C4H10)
CH3CH(CH3)CH3 [or CH3CH(CH3)2] is named
isobutane
isobutane
2-methylpropane
Cycloalkanes
may also possess cyclic structures in addition to the straight – and branched – chain acyclic molecules we have already seen.
Alkanes
The general rule when judging solubility is
“like dissolves like”
Alkanes (nonpoplar0 are insoluble in water (polar), and since they are less dense than water, they
float
Alkanes and other substances that do not dissolve in water are often referred to as being
hydrodphobic
Liquid alkanes of high molecular weight serve as
emollients (skin softeners)
Vaseline
Alkanes
They do, however, burn very easily in combustion reactions, releasing a great deal of
energy
CnH2n
Alkene
CnH2n-2
alkyne
Alkenes