1. Alkanes Alkanes are fully saturated hydrocarbons
- hydrocarbons have only C’s and H’s
- saturated = all single bonds (max. # of H’s)
Alkanes have the general formula CnH2n+2
- example: C4H10
They can be straight-chained or branched
- example: CH3CH2CH2CH3 vs. (CH3)2CHCH3
Alkanes, and all other organic compounds, are named according the the IUPAC system (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry)

3. Naming Straight-Chain Alkanes and Alkyl Groups
The names of all alkanes end in -ane
The number of carbons in a straight-chain alkane is indicated by putting a prefix before the -ane
Examples: CH4 = methane
CH3-CH3 = ethane
CH3-CH2-CH3 = propane
In branched alkanes the substituents (groups attached to the carbon chain) are called alkyl groups
An alkyl group = an alkane with one H removed
Alkyl groups are named by changing the ending of the alkane name to -yl
Example: CH3-CH = ethyl

6. Classification of Carbons in Alkanes
Carbons can be classified by how many other C’s are attached to them:
- No C’s = methyl CH4
- 1 C = primary (1) CH3-CH3
- 2 C’s = secondary (2) CH3-CH2-CH3
- 3 C’s = tertiary (3) CH3-CH(CH3)2
- 4 C’s = quaternary (4) C(CH3)4

7. Naming Branched Alkanes
First find the longest chain of C’s (parent)
Number the C’s in parent chain (begin at end nearest 1rst branch point)
Identify substituents and number by point of attachment to parent chain
Write full name
Example:
CH3-CH(CH3)-CH2-CH3 = methylbutane
If there is more than one of a substituent a prefix is used and a number is given for each substituent
CH3-CH2-C(CH3) = 2,2-dimethylbutane

8. Conformations of Alkanes
Because alkanes have only single bonds they have free rotation about those bonds
This allows for different spatial arrangements of the atoms called conformations
Conformations are not the same as isomers
Some conformations are more stable than others, so the compound spends more time in those
For ethane(CH3-CH3):
- when all H’s are lined up as you sight down the C-C bond, called eclipsed, this is highest energy
- when none of the H’s are lined up, called staggered, this is lowest energy

11. Haloalkanes
Haloalkanes have one or more halogens replacing hydrogen on an alkane
The halogens are numbered and named as substituents
- F = fluoro
- Cl = chloro
- Br = bromo
- I = iodo
If more than one halogen is present, they are named in alphabetical order
Example:
CH3-CH(Br)-CH(Cl)-CH3 = 2-bromo-3-chlorobutane

12. Cycloalkanes Carbons can also bond together to form rings
Rings with only C’s, H’s and single bonds are called cycloalkanes
Cycloalkanes have the general formula CnH2n
The smallest is cyclopropane (C3H6)
- cyclopropane is an unstable molecule
- it’s forced to have bond angles of 120between the C’s, while they would normally be 109 (the carbons each have 4 electrons groups and should be tetrahedral)
The only cycloalkanes with little or no strain are cyclopentane (C5H10) and cyclohexane (C6H12)
Most cycloalkanes are not flat because they prefer tetrahedral geometry

14. Naming Cycloalkanes
Cycloalkanes are named by adding cyclo- to the parent alkane name
Substituents are numbered when there is more than one of them
They are numbered starting at the one that gives the others the lowest numbers
Or, they are numbered alphabetically when there are only two, or both directions are equal

15. Cis and Trans Isomers
Because cycloalkanes do not have free rotation around the carbons, it matters on which side of the ring a substituent is relative to other substituents
Two substituents on the same side (top or bottom) of the ring are called Cis
Two substituents on opposite sides of the ring are called Trans
Cis and Trans isomers are stereoisomers; they have the same molecular formula, and the atoms are connected in the same order but are arranged in a different spacial orientation

17. Physical Properties of Alkanes and Cycloalkanes
Alkanes are nonpolar and are not soluble in water
They have low melting and boiling points due to their weak intermolecular forces (dispersion)
They are also less dense than water
Alkanes are mostly obtained from crude oil
- the crude oil is fractionated based on boiling pt.
- heavier fractions are often “cracked”, put under high heat and pressure, to obtain more gasoline
Alkanes are used extensively as fuels of various types (for heating, cooking, driving, etc.)

19. Reactions of Alkanes and Cycloalkanes
Because they are nonpolar, and their covalent bonds are strong, alkanes and cycloalkanes are relatively unreactive
The two types of reactions that they do undergo are combustion and halogenation
In combustion reactions, alkanes react with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, water and heat
CH O2  CO H2O + Heat
In halogenation reactions, halogens replace one or more H’s on an alkane (a substitution reaction)
CH4 + Cl2 (+ light or heat)  CH3Cl + HCl

20. Mechanism of Alkane Halogenation
These halogenations are radical reactions
Radicals are molecules (or atoms) that have one or more unpaired electrons (the half-headed arrows represent movement of single electrons