Hydrocarbons: Alkanes and Alkenes Flashcards
Are alkanes saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons?
They are saturated hydrocarbons.
What does it mean if fuels are refined before use?
They have their sulphur compounds removed.
Describe the process of fractional distillation of crude oil.
Crude oil is vaporised. Evaporates. Rises. Cools. Condensates. Collected as fractions. Smaller molecules in fractions closer to the top of column where it is cooler.
Why do branched molecules have lower boiling points than straight chain molecules?
They have a reduced surface area leading to reduced magnitude of London forces.
The octane number of a fuel is a measure of its what?
Performance.
Higher octane numbers mean what?
Less straight chains and a smoother start when starting an engine (less knocking).
How can we make branched or cyclic chains?
By reforming or cracking.
What are the conditions for reforming?
A catalyst with a high temperature.
Conditions for thermal cracking?
Temperature and pressure (alkenes are a product).
Conditions for catalytic cracking?
Catalyst, temperature and pressure (forms aromatic compounds).
Alkanes react with halogens under what conditions?
UV light or 300C.
The process of halogenation of alkanes takes place in what three stages?
Initiation.
Propagation.
Termination.
A chlorine molecule can be split into two chlorine radicals by what process?
Homolytic fission.
Under what conditions can homolytic fission take place?
UV light or 300C.
Why does a large amount of homolytic fission take place in the upper atmosphere?
There is a large exposure to UV light in the upper atmosphere.
What is the popagation stage of the halogenation of alkanes?
When a halogen radical goes on to react with an alkane.
The propagation stage can be described as a _________ reaction.
A chain reaction because it is a rapid process that continues until no more reactant remains.
What is the step at the end of free radical substitution?
Termination.
What is the termination stage?
Where two radicals combine to form a molecule. There are number of different possibilities due to the variety of radicals that are formed.
If there is too much of a halogen what could happen in free radical substitution?
You could produce di, tri or tetra of that haloalkane.
How can we reduce the chance of forming di, tri or tetra haloalkanes?
By ensuring there is excess alkane.