Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
P
(
,
)
ARAFFINS
ALKANES
SATURATED
HYDROCARBONS
• Contain only carbon and hydrogen, thus the name “hydrocarbon”
H
HCH
H
One carbon
methane
•
H
H
HCC
H
H
H
•
Two carbons
ethane
H
H
H
HCC
C
H
H
H
H
Three carbons
propane
•
, differ by
-
CH
-
• The general formula is C
H
n
2
n
+
2
2
The simplest of the aliphatic hydrocarbons are the paraffins, which are also
known as alkanes or saturated hydrocarbons. Paraffins make up the major
components of petroleum. The simplest paraffin is methane, CH
. Next is
4
ethane, C
H
; then propane, C
H
. Note that each of these differ by CH
and
2
6
3
8
2
is any whole number. Paraffins
may be gases, liquids, or solids; for example, at room temperature and
ordinary pressure, CH
that the general formula is C
H
where
n
n
2
n
+
2
to C
H
are gases, C
H
to C
H
are liquids, and
4
4
10
6
14
16
34
and higher are waxes or solids.
Gasoline is a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing 6 to 11
carbon atoms (C
C
H
18
38
H
to C
H
), while kerosene is a higher boiling mixture
6
14
11
24
containing 12 to 16 carbons.
