LESSON 7: CHEMICAL REACTIONS
INVOLVING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Chemical Reactions of Alkanes
Alkanes are the least reactive type of organic
compound. They can be heated for long period of
time in strong acids and bases with no appreciable
reaction. Strong oxidizing agents and reducing
agents have little effect on alkanes.
COMBUSTION
A combustion reaction is a chemical reaction
between a substance and oxygen (usually from air)
that proceeds with the evolution of heat and light
(usually as a flame).
The exothermic nature of alkane combustion
reactions explains the extensive use of alkanes as
fuels.
1. Natural gas, used in home heating, is
predominantly methane.
2. Propane is used in home heating in rural areas and
in gas barbecue units.
3. Butane fuels portable camping stoves.
4. Gasoline is a complex mixture of many alkanes
and other types of hydrocarbons.
HALOGENATION
A halogenation reaction is a chemical
reaction between a substance and a halogen in
which one or more halogen atoms are incorporated
into molecules of the substance.
Halogenation of an alkane produces a
hydrocarbon derivative in which one or more
halogen atoms have been substituted from
hydrogen atoms.
Alkane halogenation is an example of a
substitution reaction. A substitution reaction is a
chemical reaction in which part of a small reacting
molecule replaces an atom or a group of atoms on a
hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon derivative.
Note the following features of this general equation:
1. The notation R – H is a general formula of an
alkane. R – in this case represents an alkyl group.
Addition of a hydrogen atom to an alkyl group
produces the parent hydrocarbon of the alkyl group.
2. The notation R – X on the product side is the
general formula for a halogenated alkane. X is the
general symbol for a halogen atom.
3. Reaction conditions are noted by placing these
conditions on the equation arrow that separates
reactants from products. Halogenation of an alkane
requires the presence of heat or light.
Methane and chlorine, when heated to a high
temperature or in the presence of light, react as
follows:
The reaction does not stop at this stage, however,
because the chlorinated methane product can react
with additional chlorine to produce polychlorinated
products.
 LESSON 7: CHEMICAL REACTIONS
INVOLVING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ELIMINATION REACTION
In elimination reaction, a small molecule (XY)
is removed from two adjacent atoms of the reactant,
and a multiple bond is formed in the product.

DEHYDROHALOGENATION
An example of elimination reaction is
dehydrohalogenation, in which alkyl halide is
removed to form alkene.