Physical Properties and Uses of
Organic compounds
Boiling point : 1-bromobutane >2-bromo and butan-1-ol >butan-2-ol !!!
HYDROCARBONS
● Fuels. LPG, CNG, Petrol, Diesel, kerosene
● LPG is domestic fuel with least pollution
● Higher HCs are paint solvent and starting material for drugs and dyes
ALKANES
Physical properties
● Almost non polar due to small electronegativity difference in CH
● Weak van der Waals force
● C1-C4 gases, C5-C17 liquids, C18+ are solids
● Colourless odourless
● Grease is a mixture of higher alkanes
● MP: 3,1,2,i5,i4,4,5,6,7,8,9,20,10,neo5(increasing)
● BP: 1,2,3,i4,4,neo5,i5,5,6,7,8,9,10,20
Uses
● Petrol and lower petroleum fractions are used for dry cleaning
ALKENES
Physical properties
● Resemble alkanes in physical properties except isomerism and polarity
● C2-C4 gases, C5-C18 liquids, C19+ solids
● Ethene is colourless with a faint sweet smell. Rest odourless and colourless
● With every CH2 group bp increase by 20-30K
● Cis alkene have higher BP while trans have higher MP
Uses
● Polyethene and polyacetylene
● Polypropylene for milk crates, plastic buckets, other moulded articles
ALKYNES
Physical properties
● Same trend as above.
● C2-C4 gases, C5-C12 liquids, C13+ solids
● Ethyne has characteristic odour. Others odourless
● Weakly polar
Uses
● Acetylene is used for arc welding purposes in oxyacetylene torch.
● Polyacetylene under iodine vapours conducts electricity and can be used as battery electrode
AROMATIC
Physical properties
● Usually colourless solids or liquids with characteristic aroma (usually pleasant)
● Burn with sooty flame
Uses
● Benzene and polynuclear HCs are carcinogenic
● Naphthalene as moth repellent
ALKYL HALIDES
Physical properties
● CCl>CF>CBr>CI (Dipole)
● CXH3>CH2X2>CHX3>CX4( Dipole, except for F where difluoride is max) ● Colourless when
pure. Br and I get coloured upon light exposure.
● Many volatile halogen compound develop sweet smell
● CH3Cl,CH3Br,C2H5Cl, some CFCs are gas at room. Higher members liquid or solid.
● Boiling point of isomeric dihalobenzenes is almost same but melting point differ. ● Dichlorobenzene:
○ MP: p>o>m
○ BP: o>p>m
● Fluoroalkanes and monochloro alkanes are less dense than water. Others are more dense
● Density: n-prop-Cl<n-prop-Br<CH2Cl2<CHCl3<CCl4<n-prop-I ● O/P chlorotoluene have
significant difference in mp.
● Very slightly soluble in water
Uses
● Halothane ( CBrClHCF3) is anaesthetic
● Fully fluorinated compounds as blood substitute
● Chloroquine, synthetic compound, for malaria treatment
● Chloramphenicol for typhoid fever
ALCOHOLS AND PHENOLS
Physical properties
● Properties are chiefly due to OH group. Alkyl and aryl modify these properties
● Several lower molar mass alcohols are miscible in all proportions in water (methyl, ethyl, n-propyl,
tertbutyl, isopropyl)
Uses
● Methanol - solvent for paint, varnishes, chiefly for making HCHO; wood spirit. Obtained mostly
by catalytic hydrogenation of CO. Small qty cause blindness, large cause death. Denatured
alcohol
● Ethanol- drinks and stuff. Solvent for paint, polishing wood; ordinary spirit. Moderate concentration
affects judgement and lowers inhibitions. High amount cause nausea and loss of consciousness.
Very high amount interfere spontaneous breathing and may cause death. Commerical by
fermentation; large amounts by ethene hydration.
● Denatured alcohol is made by mixing CuSO4 and pyridine
● Alcohol - detergent. Phenol- Antiseptic
ETHERS
Physical properties
● Weak polarity does not affect BP much; “resemble those of alkanes”
○ Butane<Diethyl ether< Pentane
○ Propane< Dimethyl ether
● Miscibility resembles alcohol. Ethoxyethane<n-Butanol
Uses
● Diethyl ether was used as anaesthetic (inhaled). Slow effect and unpleasant recovery ● Ethers
used for fragrance.
ALDEHYDES AND KETONES
Physical properties
● Methanal gas at room temp
● Ethanal volatile liquid
● Higher BP due to WEAK associations via dipole-dipole ● Acetone>Propanal (bp); till c4
ketone>ald.
● Methanal, Ethanal, Acetone are miscible in ALL proportions in water
● Solubility decrease rapidly on increasing alkyl length
● Lower aldehyde have sharp pungent odours. As chain becomes longer, pungence decrease and
fragrance increase
● All ald/ket soluble in organic solvents
Uses
● Vanilin from vanila, Salicylaldehyde from Meadow sweet, Cinammaldehyde from cinnamon.
● 40% formaldehyde is Formalin
● Formalin is used to prepare bakelite, urea formaldehyde glues and other polymers
● Benzaldehyde- perfume and dyes
● Acetaldehyde primarily for making acetic acid, ethyl acetate and vinyl acetate. Also polymers and
drugs.
ACIDS
Physical properties
● Upto 9 C are liquids with unpleasant odour. Higher ones are waxy solids with no odour
● Dimer exists even in vapour phase and aprotic solvents ● Simple acids upto 4 carbon are miscible
in water. ● Benzoic acid is nearly insoluble in cold water.
Uses
● Methanoic acid is used in rubber, textile, dyeing, leather, and electroplating.
● Ethanoic acid- solvent n vinegar.
● Sodium benzoate- food preservation.
● Esters of benzoic acid are used in perfumery. ● C12-C18, fatty acids exist in fats
AMINES
Physical properties
● Lower aliphatic amines are gases with fishy odour.
● Primary amines with 3+ carbons are liquids. Higher ones are solid
● Aniline and arylamines are usually colourless but get coloured due to autoxidation.
● Lower aliphatic amines are water soluble.
● Aniline is insoluble in water
Uses
● Nature- protein vitamin alkaloids hormone
● Artificial - dyestuffs drugs polymers
● Adrenaline and ephedrine are 2⁰ amines
● Serotonin is 1⁰ amine
● Antihistamines are 3⁰amine (brompheniramine, seldane, benadryl)
● 3⁰ amines are used as insect attractants
● Novocain is a synthetic anaesthetic used in 3⁰ amine used in dentistry. ● Quaternary amines used
a detergent.
