Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry Your notes

4.4 Alkenes
Contents
4.4.1 Alkenes
4.4.2 Bromine & Alkenes
 4.4.1 Alkenes
Your notes
The Alkenes
The general formula of an alkene is CnH2n
All alkenes contain a double carbon bond, which is shown as two lines between two of the carbon
atoms i.e. C=C
All alkenes contain a double carbon bond, which is the functional group and is what allows alkenes to
react in ways that alkanes cannot
The names and structure of the first four alkenes are shown below:
Table of alkenes

Displayed formula Name Molecular formula

ethene C2 H 4

propene C3H 6

but-1-ene C 4H 8

pent-1-ene C5H10

The first four members of the alkene homologous series

Compounds that have a C=C double bond are also called unsaturated compounds
That means they can make more bonds with other atoms by opening up the C=C bond and allowing
incoming atoms to form another single bond with each carbon atom of the functional group
Each of these carbon atoms now forms 4 single bonds instead of 1 double and 2 single bonds
This makes them much more reactive than alkanes
 Your notes

A carbon-carbon double can break and form a single bond, allowing more atoms to attach to the
carbon atoms

Exam Tip
The numbers in butene, pentene and hexene refer to the carbon atom in which the C=C begins,
counting from the left. E.g. pent-2-ene, C5H10 has the C=C between the 2nd and 3rd carbon atoms. In
pent-3-ene the C=C bond is between the 3rd and 4th carbon atoms from the left.
 4.4.2 Bromine & Alkenes
Your notes
Bromine & Alkenes
Alkenes are a homologous series of hydrocarbon compounds with at least one double bond between
two of the carbon atoms on the chain
The double bond can be written as carbon carbon double bond or as C=C
The general formula for alkenes is:

CnH2n

Alkenes are generally more desirable than alkanes as they are more reactive due to the presence of
the carbon-carbon double bond, so they can take part in reactions in which alkanes cannot, making
them more useful than alkanes
They are used to make polymers and are the starting materials for the production of many other
chemicals
Two useful reactions are the bromination of alkenes and polymerisation
Bromination of Ethene
Alkenes undergo addition reactions in which atoms of a simple molecule add across the C=C double
bond
The reaction between bromine and ethene is an example of an addition reaction
The same process works for any halogen and any alkene in which the halogen atoms always add to the
carbon atoms across the C=C double bond
Bromine atoms add across the C=C in the addition reaction of ethene and bromine
Your notes
Testing for Alkenes
Bromine Water Test Your notes
Alkanes and alkenes have different molecular structures
All alkanes are saturated and alkenes are unsaturated
The presence of the C=C double bond allows alkenes to react in ways that alkanes cannot
This allows us to tell alkenes apart from alkanes using a simple chemical test called the bromine water
test

Diagram showing the result of the test using bromine water with alkanes and alkenes
Bromine water is an orange coloured solution
When bromine water is added to an alkane, it will remain as an orange solution as alkanes do not have
double carbon bonds (C=C) so the bromine remains in solution
 But when bromine water is added to an alkene, the bromine atoms add across the C=C bond, hence
the solution no longer contains free bromine so it loses its colour
Your notes
Exam Tip
Alkenes are more reactive than alkanes due to the presence of the carbon-carbon double bond which
contains an area of high electron density.