Topic 10 Flashcards
What are the main features of a homologous series?
- gradual change in physical properties
- successive members differ by a CH2 unit
- SIMILAR chemical properties because they have the same FUNCTIONAL GROUP
- same general formula
Describe primary, secondary and tertiary carbon atoms
primary - bonded to 0 or 1 other carbon atom
secondary - bonded to 2 other carbon atoms
tertiary - bonded to 3 other carbon atoms
CARBON CAN ONLY FORM 4 bonds
What is benzene’s functional group?
Phenyl group
has the formula C6H5
What does the 1:1 hydrogen carbon ratio in benzene indicate?
A high degree of saturated, greater than alkenes and alkynes
Why doesn’t benzene undergo addition reactions?
electrons of benzene ring are delocalised through out the molecule, which makes the molecule very stable. The addition reaction would result in breaking of this delocalisation so the stability of molecule is destroyed
Describe homolytic bond fission
A covalent bond between the 2 atoms in a molecule breaks, with each atom taking one electron from the bond
Results in formation of free radicals which are highly reactive species with unpaired electrons
Describe heterolytic bond fission
A covalent bond between two atoms in a molecule breaks with one atom taking both bonding electrons
Describe kekulé structure of benzene
Alternating carbon to carbon single and double bonds
Actual structure of benzene is a resonance hybrid with equal bonds that are intermediate in length and strength between a single and double bond
Why don’t alkanes undergo many reactions?
unreactive
strong covalent bonds that require a lot of energy to break
C-H bond is non-polar
Describe free radical substitution of alkanes
Alkanes undergo free radical substitution reactions
This is when an atom or group of atoms are replaced by another atom or group
most common type is halogenation
Describe steps of substitution of bromine in methane
Initiation:
- occurs in the prescence of UV light
- photochemical homolytic fission occurs when halogen is broken by UV into 2 halogen radicals
Propagation:
- First, free bromine radical reacts with methane to produce a methyl radical (Ch3.) and hydrogen bromide (as the hydrogen binds to bromine radical)
- then, methyl radical produced in first propagation step will react with a bromine molecule to produce bromomethane and a bromine radical
- methyl radical reacts with bromine to produce a bromine radical and bromomethane
Termination:
- free radicals react with each other to form molecules. Reaction stops when there are no more radicals
Test for unsaturation
bromine water tests for alkenes as alkenes have a double bond
brown to colourless
addition reaction occurs and alkane is formed with 2 bromine functional groups
Describe hydrogenation
An alkene reacts with hydrogen to form an alkane
The C=C bond is broken
2 individual H atoms attach to carbon
Nickel catalyst used
Hydration
When an alkene reacts with steam to produce an alcohol
Double bond breaks and H20 attaches itself as H and OH onto the carbon atoms that are now open
Catalyst: sulfuric acid
Halogenation
Dihalogeno compounds formed
Halogen replaces 2 hydrogens
halogenoalkane formed
Describe the reactions of the alcohols
Oxidation:
- used to make aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids
- primary alcohols oxidized to form aldehydes and oxidized again to form carboxylic acids
- secondary alcohols are oxidized to form ketones
- tertiary alcohols not oxidized because alcohol group has 0 hydrogens attached to it
Combustion:
alcohol + oxygen - water and co2
Esterification:
- react with a carboxylic acid to form an ester
Describe esterification
Esters are formed when carboxylic acids react with alcohols in the prescence of sulfuric acid as a catalyst
Describe the evidence that benzene does not have 3 double bonds
Bond enthalpy is -120, would have been -360 if 3 doubles bonds
All C-C bonds same length, implying intermediate length due to resonance
Only 1 isomer exists: 1,2-disubstituted benzene
Benzene does not readily undergo addition reactions because it is stable with its resonance structure
Describe change in boiling point in homologous series
Boiling point increases as carbon chain increases, LDF increases
rate of increase decreases as molecules become more branched and more spherical, reducing surface area
Define structural isomerism
Structures with the same molecular formula but different structural formula.
Similar chemical properties but physical properties may be different
Why does combustion of alcohols release less energy than combustion of alkanes
It is partially oxidised