Topic – SC22 Hydrocarbons Chemistry Textbook Pages 174 - 175

SC22b – Reactions of Alkanes and Alkenes

Learning Objectives Starter
• Recall the products of Draw the following
complete combustion compounds:
of alkanes and alkenes. • Propane
(5) • Ethene
• Describe what an • Methane
addition reaction is. (6) • Butene
• Explain how the • Pentene
bromine water test S&C – Draw out and give the
distinguishes between names of all of the isomers of
alkanes and alkenes. (7) pentene.
Complete Combustion
The complete combustion of hydrocarbons involves the oxidation of
the hydrocarbons and this gives out energy (exothermic). This
reactions produces carbon dioxide and water.

Methane is the main component of natural gas.

The balanced equation for the complete combustion of
methane is:

CH4(g) + 2O2(g) 🡪 CO2(g) + 2H2O(g)

Complete the balanced equation for the complete combustion

of propane. Include state symbols.

C3H8(g) + O2(g) 🡪
Equations

1. CH4+ O2 🡪

2. C2H6 + O2 🡪

3. C3H8 + O2 🡪

4. C4H10 + O2 🡪

5. C5H12 + O2 🡪
Incomplete Combustion
If there is not enough oxygen available, soot and carbon monoxide
can be formed, as well as carbon dioxide and water.

Write the word equation for this reaction.

What are the problems that the production of carbon monoxide and
soot results in?

Soot Carbon monoxide

Alkanes vs. Alkenes
You can test to see if a liquid is an alkane or an alkene (colourless)
using bromine water (brown).
When the bromine water is added to an alkane, there is no change.

When the bromine water is added to an alkene, it turns colourless.

This is an example of an addition reaction.

The alkene
The alkane has reacted
has not alkene with the
reacted bromine
with the alkane
water to
bromine form a
water. colourless
liquid.
Try this yourself
Explain how to use bromine water
to test for unsaturated compounds.
Add bromine water to the test compound.

If the compound is unsaturated it will react with the

bromine water to form a colourless liquid.

If it is not unsaturated, the colour of the bromine

water will still be seen, remain orange.
Addition Reactions
• When an alkene reacts with bromine water, the double bond
breaks.
• At the same time the atoms in the bromine molecule (Br2) break
apart.
• The bromine atoms are ‘added’ to the alkene molecule.

Write the word equation for this reaction.

 1,2-dibromoethane

1,2-dibromoethane has two bromine atoms on the first and

second carbon atoms of an ethane molecule.
Write out the reaction that takes place when bromine reacts with
propene.
MWB
Write out the reaction that takes place when bromine
reacts with propene.

S&C - Write out the reaction that takes place when

bromine reacts with but-1-ene and but-2-ene.
Exam Style Question
 Learning Objectives
• Recall the products of complete
combustion of alkanes and alkenes.
• Describe what an addition reaction is.
• Explain how the bromine water test
distinguishes between alkanes and
alkenes.