Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ethane's structure is
H
H
H
C
CH
H
H
and the protypical alkane structure is
H
H
H
C
CH
H
H
The alkanes contain a single bond between carbon atoms and include the
simplest organic compound, methane (CH 4 ), and its derivative “chains,” such
as ethane (C 2 H 6 ) and butane (C 4 H 10 ). Alkenes contain at least one dou-
ble bond between carbon atoms. For example, 1,3-butadiene's structure is
CH 2 =
CH 2 . The numbers “1” and “3” indicate the position of the
double bonds. The alkynes contain triple bonds between carbon atoms, the sim-
plest being ethyne, CH
CH
CH
=
CH, commonly known as acetylene (the gas used by
welders).
The aromatics are all based on the six-carbon configuration of benzene (C 6 H 6 ):
H
H
CC
C
H
H
C
C
C
H
H
The carbon-carbon bond in this configuration shares more than one electron,
so that benzene's structure allows for resonance among the double and single
bonds (i.e., the actual benzene bonds flip locations). Benzene is the average of
two equally contributing resonance structures.
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