Alkanes, Alkenes & Alcohols Flashcards
Crude oil consists of…
Many hydrocarbons, most of which are unbranched alkanes
Hydrocarbon definition
A compound of hydrogen and carbon only
Fractional distillation definition
The separation of the components in a liquid mixture into fractions which differ in boiling point by means of distillation, typically using a fractioning column
What are hydrocarbons gained from fractional distillation used for?
Petrol, kerosene, heating and lubricating oils
What 3D shape occurs around each carbon atom in alkanes?
Tetrahedral
Each carbon is bonded to 4 other groups of atoms and has no lone pairs
Explain the effect of chain length on the boiling points of alkanes
As the chain length increases, the boiling point increases because the van der Waals’ forces between molecules gets stronger. In longer chain alkanes, there are more points of contact between the molecules. More energy is needed to overcome these forces.
Explain the effect of branching on the boiling point of alkanes
A branched alkane has a lower boiling point than an unbranched alkane because there is a smaller contact area between molecules, so the van der Waals’ forces are weaker. Less energy is required to overcome these forces.
Describe the combustion of alkanes
Short-chain alkanes burn in a plentiful supply of oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water
What is methane used for?
Domestic heating and cooking
What are propane and butane used for?
Fuels in barbecues, patio heaters and portable cooking appliances
Cracking definition
The breaking down of long-chained saturated hydrocarbons to form a mixture of shorter-chained alkanes and alkenes
Why is cracking necessary?
Short chain hydrocarbons are in much higher demand than long chain hydrocarbons. They are used in fuel and in polymer production
What does isomerisation do?
Converts unbranched alkanes into branched alkanes
What does reforming do?
Converts straight chained alkanes into cyclic hydrocarbons
Why are reforming and isomerisation necessary?
Branched and cyclic alkanes are important petrol additives as they promote more efficient combustion than straight-chain alkanes. They are used extensively in fuels for car engines.
The hydrogen produced in reforming is also used in other chemical processes such as ammonia production and margarine production
What are petrochemicals?
Items that can be made indirectly from crude oils. Eh plastics, cosmetics, dyes and inks
Burning hydrocarbons leads to an increase in atmospheric pollutants, such as…
Carbon monoxide - a toxic gas formed by incomplete combustion in the internal combustion engine
Carbon dioxide - a major contributor to climate change via the greenhouse effect
Nitrogen oxides - contributors to acid rain and destruction of forests
Sulfur dioxide - a contributor to acid rain
Radical definition
A species with an unpaired electrons
What is a biofuel?
A fuel that is derived from recently living material such as plants, or from animal waste
Describe the reaction between methane and chlorine to form chloromethane and hydrogen chloride
CH4 + Cl2 –> CH4Cl + HCl
This is free radical substitution.
Initiation: UV radiation causes the Cl-Cl bond to break homolytically, forming 2 Cl radicals. Cl2 –> Cl• + Cl•
Propagation: methane reacts with a chlorine radical. A single C-H bond is broken by homolytic fission, forming a methyl radical. Hydrogen chloride is also formed. CH4 + Cl• –> •CH3 + HCl
The methyl radical then reacts with another chlorine molecule.
•CH3 + Cl2 –> CH3Cl + Cl•
This choline radical can be used again the the first propagation step.
Termination: 2 radicals combine to form a molecule. Eg Cl• + Cl• –> Cl2
What are the limitations of free radical substitution?
It is a reaction that is very hard to control. Many radicals form and there are a lot of possible products. Hydrogen atoms can keep being replaced by other atoms.
Saturated hydrocarbons…
Contain carbon to carbon single bonds only