Chapter 22 Alkanes and Alkenes

O Level Chemistry
Chapter 22 Alkanes and Alkenes

Organic Compounds
All contain carbon.
Most also contain hydrogen.
Some may contain O, N or an halogen (Group VII)

Organic Compounds

Contain only C and H Contain halogen atoms Contain C, H and O

(hydrocarbons)
Organic halogen compounds

Organic Esters
Alkanes Alkenes
Alcohols acids

Homologous series: a family of organic compounds with

- same general formula
- similar chemical properties
- each member differs from the next by a CH2 group of atoms
- a gradual change in physical properties down the series
Functional Groups: the special group of atoms for compounds of each homologous series
(except alkanes)
- E.g. all alkenes have C=C bond; all alcohols have OH groups.

Alkanes
A homologous series of saturated hydrocarbons with general formula CnH2n+2.
Each member differs from the member before it by CH2.
All contains single bonds i.e. C-C and C-H.
Saturated hydrocarbon
Each carbon atom has used up all its valence electrons to bond to
the maximum number (four) of other atoms.
- Each carbon forms four single bonds.

No. of C Molecular Condensed structural

Name Structural formula
atoms formula formula

Kimiya Learning Place LLP (TEL):65549440 Blk 443, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #02-1251, S(560443) www.kimiyalearningplace.com.sg
 Chapter 22 Alkanes and Alkenes

1 Methane CH4 CH4

4 Butane C4H10 CH3CH2CH2CH3

Physical Properties
Size and mass of molecules
insoluble in water Forces of attraction between molecules
Down the
soluble in organic solvents e.g. CCl4 Mp and Bp
homologous
series Density
Viscosity
Flammability

Reactions of Alkanes
Alkanes are generally unreactive with most chemicals. Alkanes are saturated compounds

But they still undergo combustion and substitution with chlorine.

1) Combustion
Alkane + Oxygen Carbon dioxide + Water
2C2H6 (g) + 7O2 (g) 4CO2 (g) + 6H2O (l)
- Larger alkanes burns less completely incomplete combustion soot and CO
2) Reaction with Chlorine
- Only takes place in the presence of ultra-violet (UV) light with chlorine.
- Light energy is needed to start the reaction.
- It is used to break the covalent bond in the chlorine molecule to give chlorine atoms.
Cl Cl Cl + Cl
- The chlorine atoms then react with the alkane molecules.
methane + chlorine chloromethane + hydrogen chloride
CH4 (g) + Cl2 (g) CH3Cl (g) + HCl (g)
- Substitution reaction: an atom or group of atoms replaced other atoms in a molecule
- This reaction will give a mixture of molecules (mixture of four products) as more hydrogen atoms
on methane can be replaced by chlorine atoms.

Cracking of Alkanes
The breakdown of large alkane molecules in petroleum into smaller Cracking is essential to
molecules. produce smaller
Cracking is carried out on the petroleum fractions (Chapter 24). hydrocarbon molecules
which are higher in
Catalytic cracking: the petroleum fraction containing large alkane demand than the larger
molecules is passed over heated solid catalyst ones.

Kimiya Learning Place LLP (TEL):65549440 Blk 443, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #02-1251, S(560443) www.kimiyalearningplace.com.sg
 Chapter 22 Alkanes and Alkenes

Steam cracking: naphtha is mixed with steam and heated to a high temperature

The Petroleum Cracking Process

- C10H22 (l) C3H6 (g) + C7H16 (l), OR Forms a mixture of alkenes and
- C10H22 (l) C2H4 (g) + C4H10 (g) + C3H8 (g) + C (s) smaller alkanes

- A mixture of product is formed and can be separated by fractional distillation.

- Naphtha is mainly used as a feedstock to produce a wide range of organic compounds e.g. plastics,
chemicals and petrol.

Importance of cracking
- Production of fuels for motor vehicles
Cracking produces smaller hydrocarbon molecules e.g. petrol
- Production of alkenes
which can be used to make a wide variety of products
- Production of hydrogen
a possible reaction during cracking produces hydrogen as a fuel, together with two other alkenes
C10H22 (l) C3H6 (g) + C7H14 (g) + H2 (g)

Alkenes
A homologous series of unsaturated hydrocarbons with general formula CnH2n.
Each member differs from the member before it by CH2.
Alkenes are called unsaturated
Each member contains unsaturated C=C double bond. compounds because not all the carbon
atoms are bonded to their maximum
Hence, it has more reactions than alkanes. number of four other atoms.
Ethene is the most important alkene as it is used to make
many useful chemicals and products.

No. of C Molecular Condensed structural

Name Structural formula
atoms formula formula

2 Ethene C 2H 4 CH2 = CH2

3 Propene C 3H 6 CH2 = CHCH3

Kimiya Learning Place LLP (TEL):65549440 Blk 443, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #02-1251, S(560443) www.kimiyalearningplace.com.sg
 Chapter 22 Alkanes and Alkenes

Physical Properties
The trend in physical properties of alkenes is similar to that of alkanes.
Alkenes are more reactive than alkanes.

Reactions of Alkenes
1) Combustion
Alkene + Oxygen Carbon dioxide + Water For alkane and alkene of the
C2H4 (g) + 3O2 (g) 2CO2 (g) + 2H2O (l) same number of carbon, alkene
contains a higher percentage
- Produce more soot than alkanes when burnt in air. composition of carbon.
2) Addition Reactions
- Addition of molecules to the C=C double bond
- Two or more molecules react to give a single product

a) Addition of Hydrogen - Hydrogenation

- In the presence of nickel catalyst
Alkene + Hydrogen Alkane
C2H4 (g) + H2 (g) C2H6 (g)

- This reaction is used to change vegetable oils into margarine

b) Addition of Bromine
- Bubble ethene gas into the reddish-brown bromine solution
Ethene + Bromine 1,2-dibromoethane
C2H4 (g) + Br2 (g) C2H4Br2 (g)

- A bromine molecule is added across the C=C double bond of ethene molecule.
- Brown solution turns colourless
c) Addition of Steam (Water)
- A mixture of alkene and steam is passed over a catalyst (phosphoric acid) at 300 C and 65 atmospheres.
Ethene + Steam Ethanol
C2H4 (g) + H2O (g) C2H5OH (l)

Kimiya Learning Place LLP (TEL):65549440 Blk 443, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #02-1251, S(560443) www.kimiyalearningplace.com.sg
 Chapter 22 Alkanes and Alkenes

- A molecule of H2O is added to the C=C double bond.

d) Polymerisation
- Joining a large number of ethene molecules together to make a polymer called polyethene
Ethene Polyethene

Test for unsaturated compounds

- When an alkene is added to bromine, the reddish-brown bromine is decolourised.
- No change will occur if the substance is saturated e.g. alkane.

Isomerism in Alkanes and Alkenes

Isomers are different compounds with
Atoms are joined together in different
- same molecular formula, ways, though the compounds have the
- different structural formula and same molecular formula.

- different boiling points

Exercise 1: Isomerism in alkanes.

Draw the isomers of pentane.
Solution:

Exercise 2: Isomerism in alkenes.

Draw the isomers of butene.
Solution:

Importance of isomers
- Car engines run better when burning branched-chain isomers.
- Branched-chain alkanes are more expensive.

Kimiya Learning Place LLP (TEL):65549440 Blk 443, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #02-1251, S(560443) www.kimiyalearningplace.com.sg
 Chapter 22 Alkanes and Alkenes

Foods and Unsaturated compounds Some foods are polyunsaturated.

Their organic molecules contain
Manufacture of Margarine many C=C bonds.
- The hydrogenation of polyunsaturated vegetable oils Polyunsaturated oils are considered
healthier than saturated oils.
into margarine.
- Margarine has more H atoms higher molecular mass higher melting point
- Hence, margarine is a solid at room temperature.
- Not all the C=C bonds in vegetable oils react with hydrogen, so the margarine is partially
hydrogenated.
- More hydrogenated margarine fewer C=C bonds harder.
Ripening of Fruits
- Unripe fruits produce small amounts of ethene which helps it to ripen.
- Ripe fruits produce a lot of ethene. They can be put together with unripe fruits to help them ripen.

Kimiya Learning Place LLP (TEL):65549440 Blk 443, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, #02-1251, S(560443) www.kimiyalearningplace.com.sg