Alkanes

Flashcards for Alkanes lecture review.

Alkanes

Hydrocarbons that contain only single bonds.

IUPAC

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

Homologous series

A series of compounds that differ from one another by a repeating unit.

Parent chain

The longest continuous chain of carbon atoms in a branched-chain alkane.

Substituent group

Side branches attached to the parent chain.

Cyclic hydrocarbon

An organic compound that contains a hydrocarbon ring.

Cycloalkanes

Cyclic hydrocarbons with only single bonds.

Straight-Chain Alkanes

Alkanes have only single bonds between atoms.

Alkane Naming

The names of alkanes end in –ane. Prefixes are derived from Greek numbers.

Alkane Formula

For alkanes, the relationship between the numbers of carbon and hydrogen atoms can be expressed as: CnH2n + 2

Branched-Chain Alkanes

Carbon atoms can bond to one, two, three, or four other carbon atoms making a variety of chains possible.

Branched Alkane Structure

The longest continuous chain of carbon atoms is called the parent chain; side branches are substituent groups.

Naming branched-chain alkanes

Count the number of carbon atoms in the longest continuous chain. Number each carbon in the parent chain, starting with the carbon closest to the substituent group.

Alkyl Group Naming

Prefixes are used to show multiple identical alkyl groups, and names are placed in alphabetical order.

Naming Substituted Cycloalkanes

The ring is always considered the parent chain; numbering starts on the carbon bonded to the substituent.

Alkane Polarity

Alkanes are not polar and are good solvents for other nonpolar molecules.

Alkane Reactivity

Alkanes have low reactivity due to being nonpolar and having strong single bonds.

Cycloalkanes

Cyclic hydrocarbons with only single bonds.

Cyclic hydrocarbon

Organic compounds that contains a hydrocarbon ring.