Study Set Content:
- major component of natural gas (85%), which is produced by bacterial decomposition of organisms in the absence of oxygen (marsh gas, cow flatulence) – burns cleanly, so is useful for cooking – odorless – ethanethiol is added to make natural gas leaks detectable.
Methane CH4
- a minor component of natural gas (10%)
- Ethane, CH2CH3 (C2H6)
used as an industrial fuel, and in home heating and cooking.
Propane, CH3CH2CH3 (C3H8)
- is added to make natural gas leaks detectable.
ethanethiol
- is an unbranched (normal) alkane.
Butane
- There is also a branched alkane with the formula C4H10, having a three-carbon chain with one carbon group connected to the middle.
Butane, CH3CH2CH2CH3, (C4H10)
CH3CH(CH3)CH3 [or CH3CH(CH3)2] is named
isobutane
isobutane
2-methylpropane
- General formula: CnH2n (for one ring)
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)
- is a semisolid mixture of alkanes.
Vaseline
- are the least reactive of all organic compounds. They do not usually react with strong acids or bases, or with most oxidizing or reducing agents.
Alkanes
They do, however, burn very easily in combustion reactions, releasing a great deal of
energy
CnH2n
Alkene
CnH2n-2
alkyne
- hydrocarbons with one or more carbon-carbon double bonds (R2C=CR2)
Alkenes
