>>3.3 - Alkenes✔ Flashcards
What is the general formula for an alkene?
- CₙH₂ₙ
Describe the bonding in alkenes:
- Bonding in alkenes involves a double covalent bond, a centre of high electron density.
- Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons as they contain a double carbon bond.
What is the first member of the alkenes?
- C₂H₄
Describe the identification of alkenes:
- Add bromine water to a test tube containing the sample of alkene, it will go from orange to colourless if the sample is an alkene and will remain orange if it is an alkane.
What two ways can we make alkenes?
- Steam or catalytic cracking producing random mixture of alkenes.
- Elimination of halogenoalkanes with no water and the reagent and halogenoalkane dissolved in ethanol.
What isomers can alkenes form?
- Stereoisomers:
- E/Z isomers (2 different groups on each carbon.)
- Structural:
- Chain (branched.)
- Positional (e.g: but-1-ene, but-2-ene.)
- Functional (cycloalkanes and alkenes.)
What is a polymer?
- A long chain of repeating monomer units.
What are the typical uses of poly(chloroethene) / PVC?
- Coats, wire insulation, window frames and drainpipes.
How can poly(chloroethene) properties be modified using a plasticiser?
- By adding plasticiser it makes the plastic more flexible, the more you add the more flexible it becomes.
What are the typical uses of poly(phenylethene) /polystyrene?
- Good insulators.
- Packaging.
Describe and explain the difference in branched polymers and unbranched polymers properties:
- Polymers with few branches are much more compact and the chains pack closer together so they have more VDW forces, they are stronger, harder and have a higher MP.
- Branches polymer chains cannot pack as well together and have weaker VDW forces between the chains, these polymers are weaker, softer and have a lower MP.
What is an addition reaction?
- A reaction in which two reactants join together to form one product.
What is an electrophile?
- An electron pair acceptor.
What is a primary carbocation, 1°?
- The positively charged carbon atom is directly attached to one other carbon atom.
Reactions of alkenes - Addition reactions:
Give the equation and conditions for hydrogenation of ethene:
- CH₂=CH₂ + H₂ → CH₃CH₃
- Nickel, 150°C