Section B-Alkanes and cycloalkanes B1 DEFINITION Key Notes Alkanes Akanes are organic molecules consting solely of carbon and hydroge ateres linked By sinsle o bodsoms are tetrahedralan re stabls. rgents.They have the genera unreactive to most Cycloalkanes oalkanes are cyelc alkane structures.They have the general formula cyclo reagents.H like alkenes. Related topics Conformational isomers(D4) Alkanes Alkanes are organic molecules with the general formula C,H2 .which consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms linked toether by Cand bonds.They are often referred to as saturated hydrocarbons-saturated because all the bonds are single bonds.hydrocarbons be se the onlu ent are carbor and hydrogen.All the carbon atoms in an alkane are sphybridized and tetrahedral in chemical reag nd so alkanes are unreactive Alkanes s referred to as straight chain or acyclic alkanes to distinguish them from alicyclic compounds Cycloalkanes clic alkanes(alicyclic eral fo wh e atoms h er to a r y enc he in .com organic sI-me exan es are unreactive to c owever and four-me ered rings are reactive and ke alke nes.Such cycl structures a highly straine
Section B – Alkanes and cycloalkanes B1 DEFINITION Alkanes Alkanes are organic molecules with the general formula CnH2n2, which consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms linked together by C–C and C–H single bonds. They are often referred to as saturated hydrocarbons – saturated because all the bonds are single bonds, hydrocarbons because the only atoms present are carbon and hydrogen. All the carbon atoms in an alkane are sp3 hybridized and tetrahedral in shape. The C–C and C–H bonds are strong σ bonds, and so alkanes are unreactive to most chemical reagents. Alkanes are sometimes referred to as straight chain or acyclic alkanes to distinguish them from cycloalkanes or alicyclic compounds. Cycloalkanes Cycloalkanes are cyclic alkanes (alicyclic compounds) having the general formula CnH2n where the carbon atoms have been linked together to form a ring. All sizes of ring are possible. However, the most commonly encountered cycloalkane in organic chemistry is the six-membered ring (cyclohexane). Most cycloalkanes are unreactive to chemical reagents. However, small three- and four-membered rings are reactive and behave like alkenes. Such cyclic structures are highly strained since it is impossible for the carbon atoms to adopt their preferred tetrahedral shape. Key Notes Alkanes are organic molecules consisting solely of carbon and hydrogen atoms linked by single σ bonds. All the carbon atoms are tetrahedral and sp3 hybridized. Alkanes are stable molecules and unreactive to most chemical reagents. They have the general formula CnH2n2 Cycloalkanes are cyclic alkane structures. They have the general formula CnH2n. Most cycloalkanes are unreactive to chemical reagents. However, three- and four-membered rings are reactive due to ring strain and behave like alkenes. Related topics sp3 Hybridization (A3) Conformational isomers (D4) Alkanes Cycloalkanes
Section B-Alkanes and cycloalkanes B2 DRAWING STRUCTURES Key Notes C-H Bond omission Alkanes can be drawn more quickly and efficiently if the C-H bonds are omitted. Skeletal drawings Skeletal drawings show only the C-c bonds.Each bond iunction is assumed to have a carbon atom with sufficient hydrogens present to make up four bonds. Alkyl groups They ca Related topic Definition(B1) C-H Bond There are several ways of drawing organic molecules.A molecule such as ethane omission can be drawn showing every C-C and C-H bond.However,this becomes tedious, especially with more complex molecules,and it is much easier to miss out the C-H bonds (Fig.1). Skeletal A further simplification is often used where only the carbon-carbon bonds are drawings shown.This is a skeletal drawing of the molecule(Fig.2).With such drawings,it is understood that a carbon atom is present at every bond junction and that every carbon has sufficient hydrogens attached to make up four bonds. Straight chain alkanes can also be represented by drawing the C-C bonds in a zigzag fashion (Fig.3). H HgC-CH3 Fig.1.Ethane. Fig.2.Skeletal drawing of cyclohexane
Section B – Alkanes and cycloalkanes B2 DRAWING STRUCTURES C–H Bond There are several ways of drawing organic molecules. A molecule such as ethane omission can be drawn showing every C–C and C–H bond. However, this becomes tedious, especially with more complex molecules, and it is much easier to miss out the C–H bonds (Fig. 1). Skeletal A further simplification is often used where only the carbon–carbon bonds are drawings shown. This is a skeletal drawing of the molecule (Fig. 2). With such drawings, it is understood that a carbon atom is present at every bond junction and that every carbon has sufficient hydrogens attached to make up four bonds. Straight chain alkanes can also be represented by drawing the C–C bonds in a zigzag fashion (Fig. 3). Key Notes Alkanes can be drawn more quickly and efficiently if the C–H bonds are omitted. Skeletal drawings show only the C–C bonds. Each bond junction is assumed to have a carbon atom with sufficient hydrogens present to make up four bonds. Alkyl groups (CnH2n1) are alkane portions of a more complicated structure. They can be drawn as a skeletal drawing, or as CH3, CH2CH3, et cetera Related topic Definition (B1) C–H Bond omission Skeletal drawings Alkyl groups H H C H C H H H H = 3C CH3 Fig. 1. Ethane. C C C C C C H H H H H H H H H H H H Fig. 2. Skeletal drawing of cyclohexane
B2-Drawing structures 2 Fig.3.Skeletal drawing of butane. CH2CH2CH3 Fig.4.Drawings of an alkyl substituted cyclohexane b) CH3 CH2CH2CH3 .CH2CH2CH3 Fig.5.(a)Comrect depiction of methyl group:(b)wrong depiction of methyl group. Alkyl groups Alkyl groups (C.H)are alkane substituents of a complex molecule.Simple alkyl groups can be indicated in skeletal form (Fig.4a),or as CH CH.CH CH2CH,CH et cetera.(Fig.4b). Notice how the CH,groups have been written in Fig.5.The structure in Fig.5a is more correct than the structure in Fig.5b since the bond shown is between the carbons
B2 – Drawing structures 21 Alkyl groups Alkyl groups (CnH2n1) are alkane substituents of a complex molecule. Simple alkyl groups can be indicated in skeletal form (Fig. 4a), or as CH3, CH2CH3, CH2CH2CH3, et cetera. (Fig. 4b). Notice how the CH3 groups have been written in Fig. 5. The structure in Fig. 5a is more correct than the structure in Fig. 5b since the bond shown is between the carbons. H CCC H H H H H H C H H H Fig. 3. Skeletal drawing of butane. H3C CH2CH2CH3 a) CH3 or b) Fig. 4. Drawings of an alkyl substituted cyclohexane. CH3 CH2CH2CH3 H3C CH3 CH2CH2CH3 a) b) CH3 Fig. 5. (a) Correct depiction of methyl group; (b) wrong depiction of methyl group
Section B-Alkanes and cycloalkanes B3 NOMENCLATURE Key Notes Simple alkanes The names of the first 10 simple alkanes are methane,ethane,propane, butane,pentane,hexane,heptane,octane,nonane,and decane. Branched alkanes Branched alkanes have alkyl substituents branching off from the main chain.When naming a branched alkane.identify the longest chain and number it from the end nearest the branch point.Identify the substituent ion on the lon here the Multi-branched alkanes If there is more than one substituent pr Identical subs esent,the substituents are named in etc but the are by pref of n n thag the tw al di anc of the n, ng.This rule may be sup- planted if there are several substituents so placed. Cycloalkanes Cycloalkanes are named according to the number of carbon atoms making Cycloalkanes linked to an alkane are usually named such that the cycloalkane is considered the parent system and the alkane group is an alkyl substituent(i.e.alkylcycloalkane).However,the opposite holds true if the alkane portion has more carbon atoms than the cycloalkane in which case the cycloalkane is considered a substituent of the alkane portion(i.e. n-cycloalkylalkane). Multi-branched Cycloalkanes having several substituents are numbered such that the sub- cycloalkanes stituent with alphabetical priority is at position 1.Numbering is then car- ried out such that the total obtained from the substituent positions is a minimum. Related topic Definition(B1) Simple alkanes The names of the simplest straight chain alkanes are shown in Fig.1. Branched alkanes Branched alkanes are alkanes with alkyl substituents branching off from the main chain.They are named by the following procedure:
Section B – Alkanes and cycloalkanes B3 NOMENCLATURE Simple alkanes The names of the simplest straight chain alkanes are shown in Fig. 1. Branched alkanes Branched alkanes are alkanes with alkyl substituents branching off from the main chain. They are named by the following procedure: Key Notes The names of the first 10 simple alkanes are methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, and decane. Branched alkanes have alkyl substituents branching off from the main chain. When naming a branched alkane, identify the longest chain and number it from the end nearest the branch point. Identify the substituent and its position on the longest chain. The name is n-alkylalkane where n is the position of the substituent, alkyl is the substituent and alkane is the longest chain. If there is more than one substituent present, the substituents are named in alphabetical order. Identical substituents are identified by prefixing them with di-, tri-, tetra-, etc., but the order of naming still depends on the alphabetical order of the substituents themselves. If there are two different substituents at equal distances from either end of the chain, the substituent with alphabetical priority has the lowest numbering. This rule may be supplanted if there are several substituents so placed. Cycloalkanes are named according to the number of carbon atoms making up the ring, that is, cyclopropane (C3H6), cyclobutane (C4H8), cyclopentane (C5H10), cyclohexane (C6H12), etc. Cycloalkanes linked to an alkane are usually named such that the cycloalkane is considered the parent system and the alkane group is an alkyl substituent (i.e. alkylcycloalkane). However, the opposite holds true if the alkane portion has more carbon atoms than the cycloalkane in which case the cycloalkane is considered a substituent of the alkane portion (i.e. n-cycloalkylalkane). Cycloalkanes having several substituents are numbered such that the substituent with alphabetical priority is at position 1. Numbering is then carried out such that the total obtained from the substituent positions is a minimum. Related topic Definition (B1) Simple alkanes Branched alkanes Cycloalkanes Multi-branched alkanes Branched cycloalkanes Multi-branched cycloalkanes
B3-Nomenclature Methane Ethane Heptane Fig.1.Nomenclature of simple alkane Fig.2.(a)identity the longest chain;(b)number the longest chain. identify the longest chain of carbon atoms.In the example shown (Fig.2a),the longest chain consists of five carbon atoms and a pentane chain; .number the longest chain of carbons,starting from the end nearest the branch point(Fig.2b); .identify the carbon with the branching group(number 2 in Fig.2b) identify and name the branching group.(In this example it is CH Branching anChane .name the structure by first identifying the substituent and its position in the chain,then naming the longest chain.The structure in Fig.1 is called 2- methylpentane.Notice that the substituent and the main chain is one complete word,that is,2-methylpentane rather than 2-methyl pentane. Multi-branched If there is more than one alkyl substituent present in the structure then the alkanes substituents are named in alphabetical order,numbering again from the end of the chain nearest the substituents.The structure in Fig.3 is 4-ethyl-3-methyloctane and not 3-methyl-4-ethyloctane. If a structure has identical substituents,then the prefixes di-,tri-,tetra-,et cetera are used to represent the number of substituents.For example,the structure in Fig.4 is called 2.2-dimethylpentane and not 2-methyl-2-methylpentane. C. Fig.3.4-Ethyl-3-methyloctane. Fig.4.2,2-Dimethylpentane
● identify the longest chain of carbon atoms. In the example shown (Fig. 2a), the longest chain consists of five carbon atoms and a pentane chain; ● number the longest chain of carbons, starting from the end nearest the branch point (Fig. 2b); ● identify the carbon with the branching group (number 2 in Fig. 2b); ● identify and name the branching group. (In this example it is CH3. Branching groups (or substituents) are referred to as alkyl groups (CnH2n1) rather than alkanes (CnH2n2). Therefore, CH3 is called methyl and not methane.) ● name the structure by first identifying the substituent and its position in the chain, then naming the longest chain. The structure in Fig. 1 is called 2- methylpentane. Notice that the substituent and the main chain is one complete word, that is, 2-methylpentane rather than 2-methyl pentane. Multi-branched If there is more than one alkyl substituent present in the structure then the alkanes substituents are named in alphabetical order, numbering again from the end of the chain nearest the substituents. The structure in Fig. 3 is 4-ethyl-3-methyloctane and not 3-methyl-4-ethyloctane. If a structure has identical substituents, then the prefixes di-, tri-, tetra-, et cetera are used to represent the number of substituents. For example, the structure in Fig. 4 is called 2,2-dimethylpentane and not 2-methyl-2-methylpentane. B3 – Nomenclature 23 CH4 H3C CH3 Hexane Heptane Octane Nonane Decane Methane Ethane Propane Butane Pentane Fig. 1. Nomenclature of simple alkanes. H3C CH2 CH2 CH CH3 CH3 H3C CH2 CH2 CH CH3 CH3 5 3 b) 4 a) 1 2 Fig. 2. (a) identify the longest chain; (b) number the longest chain. CH3 CH3 CH3 H3C 3 1 2 7 5 6 Methyl 4 8 Ethyl Fig. 3. 4-Ethyl-3-methyloctane. H3C CH3 H3C CH3 3 1 2 5 4 Fig. 4. 2,2-Dimethylpentane