QFR Experiment No.

9
1. Enumerate three (3) other members (except methane and hexane) of the alkane series, write their
condensed structural formula and cite their uses and importance.
a) Ethane – CH3CH3
The industrial importance of ethane is based upon the ease with which it may be converted
to ethylene (C2H4) and hydrogen by pyrolysis, or cracking, when passed through hot tubes.
Like propane and, to a lesser extent, butane, ethane is a major raw material for the huge
ethylene petrochemical industry, which produces such important products as polyethylene
plastic, ethylene glycol, and ethyl alcohol.
More than 90 percent of the ethane produced in the 1960s was burned as fuel without separation
from natural gas. Ethane gas can be liquefied under pressure or at reduced temperatures and thus
be separated from natural gas. Unlike propane, liquid ethane is not in common use as an
industrial or domestic fuel.

b) Propane – CH3CH2CH3
Propane is used for heating, cooking, hot water, as a propellant, refrigerant, vehicle fuel and
petrochemical feedstock. Propane is also used for fuel for many commercial and agricultural heat
applications, including commercial boilers.
The most common uses of propane would be the home applications of propane gas heating
systems, cooking and hot water. Propane gas heating systems provide instant warmth and are
available in flued gas heaters and portable gas heaters.
Propane fuel is even more important for people living in mobile or manufactured homes. Out of
the estimated 6.3 million mobile homes in the U.S. today, at least 16% of these homes depend on
propane more than any other type of heating fuel.
Not only is propane important for residential buildings, it’s also essential for commercial
buildings, too. Hotels and restaurants, for example, use propane fuel for a variety of different
purposes. Everything from cooking to refrigeration, from washing clothes to providing heat and
light — propane can be used for it all. It’s estimated that 1 million individual commercial
establishments depend on propane.

c) Butane – CH3CH2CH2CH3
Because Butane is composed of carbon and oxygen, highly flammable, and easy to liquefy, it is
highly useful for many appliances.
 Butane is most commonly used in cigarette lighters
 Butane torches used for weed burning and in the kitchen
 Camping stoves
 Used in refrigerants and household freezers and fridges.
 Cordless hair irons

https://www.adamsgas.co.uk/2017/07/10/popular-uses-butane-gas/
https://lingas.com/hot-topics/importance-propane-services-u-s/
https://www.elgas.com.au/blog/1689-what-is-propane-gas
https://www.britannica.com/science/ethane

2. Show by means of chemical equations the preparation of Methane by (a) Reduction of alkyl halide, and
from (b) Grignard Reagents and give a short discussion of each reactions.
a) Alkyl halides are reduced to alkanes by suitable reducing agents.
For example: With zinc and HCl:

CH3 Br + H2  CH4 + HBr

b) Alkyl halides react with magnesium metal in diethyl ether to form alkyl magnesium halides. The
alkyl magnesium halides are called Grignard reagents. These are highly reactive and can be
easily decomposed by water or alcohol to form alkanes.
For example:

CH3 Br + Mg  CH3MgBr
Methyl Magnesium Bromide (Grignard Reagent)
 CH3MgBr + H2O  CH4 + Mg(OH)Br
Methane + Basic Magnesium Bromide
http://chemistryallclass.blogspot.com/2015/08/preparation-of-alkane.html

3. What mixtures of alkanes are found in (a) Gasoline, (b) Kerosene, (c) Petroleum Ether, and (d)
Petroleum Jelly?

a) Gasoline
- Is a mixture of alkanes from pentane up to about decane

b) Kerosene
- Contains alkanes from about decane to hexadecane

c) Petroleum Ether
- is a mixture of short chain alkanes consisting mostly of pentanes and hexanes.

d) Petroleum Jelly
- Above n=17, the alkanes are solids at room temperature. Alkanes with higher values of n are
found in diesel fuel, fuel oil, petroleum jelly, paraffin wax, motor oils, and for the highest
values of n, asphalt.
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Organic/alkane.html
https://www.definitions.net/definition/petroleum+ether
https://www.wyzant.com/resources/answers/118089/chemistry

4. Write the chemical equation of the reaction of Ethane with (a) Chlorine, and (b) H2SO4.

a) Chlorine
CH3CH3 + Cl2  CH3CH2Cl + HCl

b) Sulfuric Acid
CH2=CH2 + H2SO4  CH3CH2OSO2OH
https://socratic.org/questions/when-ethane-c-2h-6-reacts-with-chlorine-gas-the-main-product-is-c-2h-5cl-but-
sma
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Organic_Chemistry/Supplemental_Modules_(Organic_Chemistry)/Rea
ctions/Addition_Reactions/Electrophilic_Addition_Reactions/Reactions_of_Alkenes_with_Sulfuric_Acid

5. Illustrate the condensed structural formula of ALL possible Isomers of Hexane (C 6H14) and give their
IUPAC names.

 2-methylpentane - (CH3)2CH(CH2)2CH3
 3-methylpentane - CH3CH2CH(CH3)CH2CH3
 2,3-dimethylbutane - (CH3)2CHCH(CH3)2
 2,2-dimethylbutane - (CH3)3CCH2CH3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexane#Isomers