Homologous Series Answers

Summarise the key features of each homologous series of organic compounds.

Homologous Functional General Example and

Suffix Properties and Reactions
Series Group Formula Displayed Formula

ethane • Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons. They only

contain single covalent bonds.
• Alkanes can have straight-chain, branched or cyclic
alkanes C–C CnH2n+2 -ane
structures.
• Alkanes are often used as fuels because they combust
readily and release large amounts of energy.

R–X chloroethane
• Halogenoalkanes are alkanes in which one or more
hydrogen atoms have been substituted by a halogen
atom (F, Cl, Br or I).
halogenoalkanes (where X CnH2n+1X -ane
represents • Halogenoalkanes are more reactive than alkanes.
a halogen • Halogenoalkanes readily undergo nucleophilic
atom) substitution reactions due to their polar C-X bond.

propene • Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons. They contain

at least one carbon-carbon double bond.
• Alkenes readily undergo electrophilic addition
alkenes C=C CnH2n -ene
reactions.
• Alkenes can form addition polymers such as
poly(chloroethene).

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 Homologous Series Answers

Homologous Functional General Example and

Suffix Properties and Reactions
Series Group Formula Displayed Formula

ethanol • Alcohols can be primary, secondary or tertiary depending

on the number of alkyl groups bonded to the carbon atom
with the hydroxyl (-OH) group.
CnH2n+2O
alcohol R – OH -ol • Alcohols can form hydrogen bonds so can dissolve in
water.
• Ethanol can be formed through the hydration of ethene or
by fermentation of glucose.

ethanal • Aldehydes react with Fehling’s solution to

produce a red precipitate and with Tollens’
reagent to form a silver mirror.
aldehyde CnH2nO -al
• Aldehydes readily react with nucleophiles due to the high
electron density around the C = O bond.
• Aldehydes are readily oxidised to carboxylic acids.

propanone • In ketones, the C=O bond is located at any position

along a carbon chain except at the end of the chain.
ketone CnH2nO -one • Ketones readily react with nucleophiles.
• Ketones cannot be oxidised, which means they do not
react with Fehling’s solution or Tollens’ reagent.

ethanoic acid • Carboxylic acids are weak acids.

• Carboxylic acids react with metal carbonates to produce a
carboxylic acid CnH2nO2 -oic acid salt, water and carbon dioxide.
• In the presence of a strong acid catalyst, carboxylic acids
react with alcohols under reflux to form esters.
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