Alkanes

What are alkanes?

The Alkanes are a homologous series of saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula:

The Alkane compounds are used to be called the paraffins. Alkanes are major constituent of petroleum from which they are obtained by distillation and fractional distillation.

Type of Alkanes

There are many names of alkanes. The first four straight chain alkanes are known by their traditional names. The other members of the homologous series of alkanes have names based on Greek or Latin words for the numbers. See nomenclature of alkanes.

Alkanes combustion

As fuels, alkanes combust to water and carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide if there is insufficient air. The alkane combustion chemical equation is as follows.

Properties of alkanes

Alkanes react spontaneously and explosively with fluorine. Alkanes will burn in chlorine. Alkanes undergo substitution reactions with chlorine and bromine. The gas phase reaction of Chlorine with methane is an example of an organic substitution reaction involving a free radical chain mechanism.