Organic Chemistry

Assignment
Submitted to: Dr. Ain Ali Haider
By: Shakeeb Amir

1st Prof. Section-B

CMS ID: 2352-2024

Physical and Chemical Properties of

Alkanes, Alkenes and Alkynes

Physical Properties
Property alkane alkene alkyne
Saturated Unsaturated Unsaturated
General hydrocarbons with hydrocarbons with hydrocarbons with
Overview only single carbon- at least one carbon- at least one carbon-
carbon (C–C) carbon double bond carbon triple bond
bonds. General (C=C). General (C≡C). General
formula: CₙH₂ₙ₊₂. formula: CₙH₂ₙ. formula: CₙH₂ₙ₋₂.

Boiling and • Higher

• Lower boiling • Slightly boiling and
Melting and melting higher boiling melting
Points points points than points than
compared to alkanes due alkanes and
alkenes and to the alkenes of
alkynes of presence of a similar
similar π-bond, carbon count
molecular which adds due to more
weight. slight extensive π-
• Increases polarity. bonding,
with • Like alkanes, which
molecular boiling and increases
weight and melting intermolecul
chain length points ar forces.
due to increase with • Linear shape
increased molecular allows for
Van der weight and stronger
Waals decrease London
forces. with dispersion
• Branched branching. forces
alkanes • compared to
generally their alkene
have lower counterparts
boiling points .
than their
straight-
chain
isomers due
to reduced
surface area.
•

Solubility Alkanes, alkenes, Alkanes, alkenes, Alkanes, alkenes,

and alkynes are and alkynes are and alkynes are
 generally nonpolar generally nonpolar generally nonpolar
and hydrophobic, and hydrophobic, and hydrophobic,
making them making them making them
insoluble in water insoluble in water insoluble in water
but soluble in but soluble in but soluble in
nonpolar organic nonpolar organic nonpolar organic
solvents like solvents like solvents like
benzene, hexane, or benzene, hexane, or benzene, hexane, or
ether. ether. ether.
Density • Alkanes, • Alkanes, • Alkanes,
alkenes, and alkenes, and alkenes, and
alkynes are alkynes are alkynes are
less dense less dense less dense
than water, than water, than water,
generally generally generally
ranging from ranging from ranging from
0.6 to 0.8 0.6 to 0.8 0.6 to 0.8
g/cm³. g/cm³. g/cm³.
• Density • Density • Density
slightly slightly slightly
increases increases increases
from alkanes from alkanes from alkanes
to alkenes to to alkenes to to alkenes to
alkynes alkynes alkynes
because of because of because of
increased increased increased
molecular molecular molecular
mass and mass and mass and
decreased decreased decreased
hydrogen hydrogen hydrogen
content. content. content.

Chemical Properties
Property alkane alkene alkyne
Reactivity • Relatively • More • Even more
unreactive reactive than reactive than
and Bonding due to strong alkanes due alkenes due
C–C and C–H to the to the triple
single bonds. presence of a bond (two π-
• Undergo π-bond, bonds),
substitution which is less which is even
reactions stable and more
rather than more unstable
addition, accessible than a
often than sigma double bond.
requiring (σ) bonds. • Undergo
strong • Undergo both
conditions addition electrophilic
(e.g., UV light reactions and
for readily (e.g., nucleophilic
halogenation hydrogenatio addition
). n, reactions.
halogenation
, and
• Can
participate in
hydrohaloge
terminal
nation).
alkyne
• Electrophilic reactions
addition due to the
reactions are
slightly
common. acidic nature
of terminal
hydrogen.

Combustion Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkanes, Alkenes,

and Alkynes all and Alkynes all and Alkynes all
combust in the combust in the combust in the
presence of oxygen, presence of oxygen, presence of oxygen,
producing CO₂ and producing CO₂ and producing CO₂ and
H₂O as primary H₂O as primary H₂O as primary
products: products: products:
Alkane: Cn H2n+2 Alkene: Cn H2n +O2 Alkyne: Cn H2n−2
+O2 →CO2 +H2 O →CO2 +H2 O +O2 →CO2 +H2 O
Halogenatio • Undergo free • Undergo • Can also
radical electrophilic react with
n substitution addition with halogens
with halogens through
halogens (Br₂, Cl₂), addition,
(e.g., Cl₂ or resulting in often adding
Br₂) in the the formation two
presence of of dihalides. equivalents
UV light. • Example: to produce a
• Example: Ethene with tetrahalide.
Methane bromine: • Example:
reacts with C2H4+Br2→ Ethyne with
chlorine: C2H4Br2 bromine:
CH4+Cl2→ C2H2+2Br2
CH3Cl+HCl →C2H2Br4

Hydrogenati • Alkenes can • Alkynes can

be be
on hydrogenate hydrogenate
d to alkanes d either
in the partially (to
presence of a alkenes) or
catalyst like fully (to
Pd or Pt. alkanes).
• Example: • Example:
Ethene to Ethyne to
ethane: ethane:
C2 H4 +H2 Pd C2 C2H2+2H2→
H6 Pd C2H6

Hydrohaloge • Undergo • Alkynes can

addition with add two
nation HX equivalents
(hydrohalic of HX to form
acids) to dihaloalkane
form s.
haloalkanes. • Example:
• Example: Ethyne with
Propene with HCl:
HCl: C2H2+2HCl
C3H6+HCl→ →CHCl2CH3
C3H7Cl