Organic Chemistry

Definition

Alkanes are a class of saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula C_n H_(2n+2), where n is the number of carbon atoms in the molecule.

Characteristics

• Alkanes are non-polar molecules due to the equal sharing of electrons in the C-H and C-C bonds.
• They have a tetrahedral arrangement of atoms around each carbon atom.
• Alkanes are the simplest organic compounds and are considered the parent compounds of organic chemistry.

Homologous Series

• Alkanes form a **homologous series**, where each successive member differs by a CH_2 group.
• The boiling point of alkanes increases with increasing carbon chain length.
• The melting point of alkanes also increases with increasing carbon chain length.

Nomenclature

• Alkanes are named using the **IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) system**.
• The name is derived from the root word that indicates the number of carbon atoms, followed by the suffix "-ane".
• Branched alkanes are named by identifying the longest carbon chain and the position and type of substituents.