Alkanes

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 1: Classification of Hydrocarbons
1.
Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons:
 saturated (only single C-C bonds)
 hydrocarbon (only C and H)

H H H H

H C H H C C C H

H H H H

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 2: Bondings in hydrocarbon

Carbon atoms has 4 valence electrons

 need 4 electrons to reach octet
electron arrangement.
 four bonds to each carbon atom
Hydrogen atoms has 1 valence electron
 need 1 electron to reach duplet
electron arrangement.
 one bond to each hydrogen atom
Carbon and hydrogen atoms can bond to each
other to form very extensive and molecular
systems.
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 3: Molecular Formulas of Alkanes

Write the molecular formula for each of the

alkanes below.

H H H H H H

H C C H H C C C C H

H H H H H H

C 2H 6 C4H10

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C5H12

C6H14

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What is the general molecular formula for
alkanes?

Alkanes have the general formula

CnH2n+2

n = no.of carbon atoms in the molecule

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 4: Nomenclature of Alkanes

1. The name of alkanes consist of 2 parts :

the root & ending.
2. Root- tells the number of carbon atoms in
the longest continuous carbon chain.
3. Ending-tells the family of the compound.
No. of
carbon
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
atoms

Root Meth Eth Prop But Pent Hex Hept Oct Non Dec
name

The root names for the first ten straight-chain alkanes 7

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 Naming Alkanes
• Example : Butane

Name of Root Ending

alkane
Butane But (no. of -ane (the
carbon atoms family is
= 4) alkane)

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No. of Nomenclature / Structural
C atoms Molecular formula Formula
H
1 C Methane CH4 H C H
H

H H

2 C Ethane C 2H 6 H C C H

H H

H H H
3 C Propane C3 H8 H C C C H

H H H
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No. of Nomenclature / Structural
C atoms Molecular formula Formula

H H H H
4 C Butane C4H10 H C C C C H

H H H H

6 C Hexane C6H14

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 Structural Formula
Shows how the atoms in molecule
are bonded together and by
what types of bonds.

Example : H H H H
H C C C C H
H H H H

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 5: Physical Properties

Alkanes- covalent compounds

a) Melting and Boiling Point

* Low melting and boiling points because these

molecules are held together by weak
intermolecular forces.

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a) Melting and Boiling Point

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 a) Melting and Boiling Point

• The boiling point increases between

20-30 °C per -CH2 group.
• Boiling points and melting points
increase as number of carbon atoms
per molecule increases.
• Then, size of molecules increases
(molecular mass increases)
• Forces between molecules (van der
Waals forces) are stronger
• More heat energy is needed to
overcome the forces 14
b) Physical State at Room
Temperature

CH4 - C4H10 : gas

C5H12 - C17H38 : liquid
 C18H38 : solid

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 c) Solubility
• -Soluble in non polar solvents (organic
solvents),
• -Insoluble in water.

d) Density
* The density of the alkanes increases
with increasing number of carbon atoms,
BUT is less dense than that of
water.
Hence, alkanes form the upper layer in
an alkane-water mixture.
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 e) Electrical Conductivity

• Cannot conduct electricity

• because :
alkanes are covalent compounds,
do not have ions but are
made up of molecules.

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Chemical Properties of alkanes

• Unreactive compounds
• Saturated compounds.
• The strong C-C and C-H bonds must
be broken for the alkanes to react.
• Although alkanes do not react with
most chemicals, they do react with
oxygen and halogens.
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 Combustion
• The reaction with oxygen
• Complete combustion of methane / in
the presence of sufficient oxygen :
CH4(g) + 2O2(g) CO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

• Incomplete combustion / insufficient

oxygen available :
2CH4(g) + 3O2(g) CO(g) + 4H2O(l)
CH4(g) + O2(g) C(s) + 2H2O(l)
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 Halogenation
• Reaction with halogen
• Takes place readily in sunlight.
• C-H bonds-broken, formed C-halogens
bonds
• Halogenation - example of a substitution
reaction
• Substitution reaction – when one atom or a
group of atoms in a molecule is replaced by
another atom or group of atoms.
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 Halogenation
• Example-Mixture of methane and
chlorine is exposed to ultravolet
light-varying amounts of four
different products are formed.
• CH4 CH3Cl chloromethane
CH2Cl2 dichloromethane
CHCl3 trichloromethane
CCl4 tetrachloromethane
CH4(g) + Cl2(g) CH3Cl(g) + HCl(g)21
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