Hydrocarbons Flashcards
Preparing alkanes from carboxylic acids
Sodium salts with soda lime give one less carbon atom (decarboxylation)
Decarboxylation
Removal of a mole of CO2 from an organic compound
Why can’t Wurtz reaction have an odd number of carbon atoms
It will lead to the formation of mixture of two substances
Why does Kolbe’s use even number of carbon atoms
The mechanism involves the combination of two free radicals
Preparing alkanes from alkyl halides
- On reduction with Zn and dil. HCl give alkanes
- On treatment with sodium metal gives Wurtz reaction (dry ether)
BP of alkanes dependent on
- Molecular mass
- Branching - Increase = Low SA = Low BP
- Side Chain - Increase = High SA = High BP
Explain Kolbe’s electrolytic method
- Aq solution of sodium on electrolysis gives alkane with even no.
- Anode: Free radical + CO2
- Cathode: H2 and OH
Explain substitution reactions (alkanes)
Halogenation takes place at higher temperatures or in the presence of diffused sunlight
Explain initiation propagation and termination of substition with alkanes
- Initiated by homolysis of chlorine molecule - Cl Cl bond is easier to break
- Propagated by breaking CH bond to generate methyl free radical with more liberation
- Reaction stops after some time
Possible chain terminating steps
Cl + Cl –> Cl - Cl
H3C + CH3 –> H3C - CH3
H3Cl + Cl –> H3C + Cl
Explain combustion of alkanes + general formula
Completely oxidized to carbon dioxide and water with the evolution of large amount of heat
CnH2n+2 + (3n+1)/2 O2 –> nCO2 + (n+1)H2O
General combustion formula:
1. Alkene
2. Alkyne
- O has (3n / 2)
- O has (3n-1)/2
Combustion formula using x and y
CxHy + (x + y/4)O2 –> xCO2 + y/2 H2O
Isomerization of alkanes
In presence of anhydrous AlCl3 and HCl isomerize to branched chain alkanes
Aromatization of alkanes
- Having 6 or more C atoms in presence of oxides of vanadium get dehydorgenated and cyclised
- 773K and 10-20 atm
Alkanes with steam
With steam in the presence of nickel catalyst to form carbon monoxide and dihydrogen
Cis-Isomer
Type of geometrical isomer which same atoms; bonds but diff arrangement
X - C - Y
|| (On the same side)
X - C - Y
Why is trans isomer less polar
As trans isomer has the group on different sides, the dipoles cancel out
Why does trans isomer have higher MP?
Trans isomer is more symmetrical
Why do alkanes not have free rotation?
Electron distriubtion of sigma molecular orbital is symmmetrical around internuclear axis
Conformations
Spatial arrangmements of atoms which can be converted into one another by rotation around a C-C bond
Newman projections
- Molecule viewed head on
- Carbon atom depicted as a point (nearer)
- Drawn at 120 degree angles
Torsional strain
Small energy barrier due to weak repulsive interaction between adjacent bond
Explain eclipsed, staggered and skewed conformation
- Eclipsed: Carbons as close as together
- Staggered: As far apart as possible
- Skewed: Intermediate conformation
Sawhorse projections
- Molecule viewed along molecular axis
- Projected on paper by drawing central C-C bond somewhat longer straight line
- Lines are inclined at an angle of 120 to each other
- Has both eclipsed and staggered conformations
Preparation of alkenes from alkynes
+ H2 Catalyst: Pd / C (cis isomer)
Catalyst: Na (trans isomer)
Reaction learn
Preparation of alkene from alkyl halide
Heating with alcoholic KOH (dehyrohalogenation & beta - elimination)
Reaction rate for alkyl and halogens
Alkyl : Tertiary > Sec > Pri
Halogens: Iodine > Br > Cl
Prep of alkene from vicinal dihalide
Add Zn forms ZnX2 (dehalogenation)