Alkanes And Halogenoalkanes Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is the general formula of alkanes
C n H 2n+2
What kind of bonding do alkanes have
Only sigma bonds - single covelent bonds
Are alkanes saturated or unsaturated
Saturated - contains only single bonds
What is the trend in boiling points of alkanes as chain length increases
Boiling point increases due to stronger van Der waals forces
Why do branched alkanes have lower boiling points
They have a smaller surface area for van der waals interactions
Are alkanes soluble in water? Why?
No - they are non polar and cannot hydrogen bond with water
What is the main reaction of alkanes
Combustion - complete and incomplete
What are the products of complete combustion of alkanes
CO² and H²O
What are the products of incomplete combustion
CO, C and H²O
Why is CO dangerous
It binds to haemaglobin, preventing the transport of oxygen around the body
What is the radical substitution mechanism
A reaction where alkanes react with halogens under UV light to form halogenoalkanes
What are the 3 main stages of free radical substitution
Initiation, propagation and termination
What happens in the initiation step
Halogens split into radicals via homolytic fission (e.g. Cl –> 2•Cl)
