Components of Naturally Occurring Petroleum Fluids 21

TABLE 1-7
Some physical properties of the butylenes
Boiling Melting Specific Refractive
point, point, gravity, index
Name of of 60/60 ( -12.7)
Isobutylene 19.6 -220.6 0.600 1.3727
t-Butene 20.8 -301.6 0.601 1.3711
trans-2-Butene 33.6 -158.0 0.610 1.3778
cls-2-Butene 38.7 -218.1 0.627 1.3868

with respect to the connections of the atoms. These two compounds are
known as stereoisomers. The configurations are differentiated in their
names by the prefixes cis- and trans-,
The prefix cis- is Latin for on this side, and trans is Latin for across.

cis trons
Fig. 1-9. Ball-and-stick models of cis- and trans-z-butene,

Physical and Chemical Properties of Alkenes

The physical properties of the alkenes are very much like the physical
properties of the alkanes. Table. 1-8 gives comparisons of the melting
points, boiling points, and specific gravities of the simpler alkenes. As
with the alkanes, these physical properties increase with increasing
carbon content.
Figure 1-8 shows the ball-and-stick model of ethylene. Obviously,
the carbon-to-carbonbonds do not satisfy the normal tetrahedron bonding
angles of 109.5. This indicates that the double bonds are less stable than
the single bonds and are, therefore, more likely to be attacked by other:
chemicals.
Thus, alkenes, because of their double bonds, are more reactive than
alkanes, Most alkene reactions involve the elimination of the double
bond and the formation of two strong single bonds.