Chemical Properties of Alkanes

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Alkanes are not very reactive when compared with other chemical species. This is because the
backbone carbon atoms in alkanes have attained their octet of electrons through forming four
covalent bonds (the maximum allowed number of bonds under the octet rule; which is why
carbon's valence number is 4). These four bonds formed by carbon in alkanes are sigma bonds,
which are more stable than other types of bond because of the greater overlap of carbon's atomic
orbitals with neighboring atoms' atomic orbitals. To make alkanes react, the input of additional
energy is needed; either through heat or radiation.
Gasoline is a mixture of the alkanes and unlike many chemicals, can be stored for long periods
and transported without problem. It is only when ignited that it has enough energy to continue
reacting. This property makes it difficult for alkanes to be converted into other types of organic
molecules. (There are only a few ways to do this). Alkanes are also less dense than water, as one
can observe, oil, an alkane, floats on water.
Alkanes are non-polar solvents. Since only C and H atoms are present, alkanes are nonpolar.
Alkanes are immiscible in water but freely miscible in other non-polar solvents. Alkanes consisting
of weak dipole dipole bonds can not break the strong hydrogen bond between water molecules
hence it is not miscible in water. The same character is also shown by alkenes. Because alkanes
contain only carbon and hydrogen, combustion produces compounds that contain only carbon,
hydrogen, and/or oxygen. Like other hydrocarbons, combustion under most circumstances
produces mainly carbon dioxide and water. However, alkanes require more heat to combust and
do not release as much heat when they combust as other classes of hydrocarbons. Therefore,
combustion of alkanes produces higher concentrations of organic compounds containing oxygen,
such as aldehydes and ketones, when combusting at the same temperature as other hydrocarbons.
The general formula for alkanes is CNH2N+2; the simplest possible alkane is therefore methane, CH4.
The next simplest is ethane, C2H6; the series continues indefinitely. Each carbon atom in an alkane
has sp³ hybridization.
Alkanes are also known as paraffins, or collectively as the paraffin series. These terms are also
used for alkanes whose carbon atoms form a single, unbranched chain. Branched-chain alkanes
are called isoparaffins.
Methane through Butane are very flammable gases at standard temperature and pressure
(STP). Pentane is an extremely flammable liquid boiling at 36 °C and boiling points and melting
points steadily increase from there; octadecane is the first alkane which is solid at room
temperature. Longer alkanes are waxy solids; candle wax generally has between C20 and C25 chains.
As chain length increases ultimately we reach polyethylene, which consists of carbon chains of
indefinite length, which is generally a hard white solid.
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ry)/Alkanes/Properties_of_Alkanes/Chemical_Properties_of_Alkanes

Alkane molecules are nonpolar and therefore generally do not react with ionic compounds
such as most laboratory acids, bases, oxidizing agents, or reducing agents. Consider
butane as an example:

Neither positive ions nor negative ions are attracted to a nonpolar molecule. In fact, the
alkanes undergo so few reactions that they are sometimes called paraffins, from the
Latin parum affinis, meaning “little affinity.”
Two important reactions that the alkanes do undergo are combustion and halogenation.
Nothing happens when alkanes are merely mixed with oxygen (O2O2) at room
temperature, but when a flame or spark provides the activation energy, a highly
exothermic combustion reaction proceeds vigorously. For methane (CH4), the reaction is
as follows:
CH4+2O2→CO2+2H2O+heat(12.7.1)(12.7.1)CH4+2O2→CO2+2H2O+heat
If the reactants are adequately mixed and there is sufficient oxygen, the only products
are carbon dioxide (CO2CO2), water (H2OH2O), and heat—heat for cooking foods,
heating homes, and drying clothes. Because conditions are rarely ideal, however, other
products are frequently formed. When the oxygen supply is limited, carbon monoxide
(COCO) is a by-product:
2CH4+3O2→2CO+4H2O(12.7.2)(12.7.2)2CH4+3O2→2CO+4H2O
This reaction is responsible for dozens of deaths each year from unventilated or
improperly adjusted gas heaters. (Similar reactions with similar results occur with
kerosene heaters.)
Alkanes also react with the halogens chlorine (Cl2Cl2) and bromine (Br2Br2) in the
presence of ultraviolet light or at high temperatures to yield chlorinated and brominated
alkanes. For example, chlorine reacts with excess methane (CH4CH4) to give methyl
chloride (CH3ClCH3Cl).
CH4+Cl2→CH3Cl+HCl(12.7.3)(12.7.3)CH4+Cl2→CH3Cl+HCl
With more chlorine, a mixture of products is obtained: CH3Cl, CH2Cl2, CHCl3, and CCl4.
Fluorine (F2F2), the lightest halogen, combines explosively with most hydrocarbons.
Iodine (I2I2) is relatively unreactive. Fluorinated and iodinated alkanes are produced by
indirect methods.

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Sciences_(Cessna)/12%3A_Organic_Chemistry%3A_Alkanes_and_Halogenated_Hydrocarbons/12.07_Ch
emical_Properties_of_Alkanes

Chemical Properties and Reactions of Alkanes

Author: Hans Lohninger

Alkanes generally show low reactivity, because their C-C bonds are stable
and cannot be easily broken. As they are inert against ionic or other polar
substances they are also called "paraffins" (Latin "para + affinis" = "lacking
affinity").

Gaseous alkanes are explosive when mixed with air, the liquid alkanes are
highly flammable. The most common reactions occuring with alkanes are
reactions involving free radicals (combustion, substitution cracking, and
reformation).

http://www.vias.org/genchem/orgcomp_alkanes_reactions.html