ALKANES

YEAR 11 CHEMISTRY
 Describe Describe the properties of alkanes

Describe Describe the bonding in alkanes

LESSON
OBJECTIVES
Describe Describe the reaction of alkanes with chlorine
AND
KEYWORDS
Describe Describe the manufacture of alkanes by cracking

State State the importance of cracking

ALKANES
Alkanes are hydrocarbons
which only have single
covalent bonds in their
structure. We call them
saturated hydrocarbons
because no more atoms can be
added to their molecules.
PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF
THE ALKANES

All alkanes are colourless gases, liquids or solids.

The first four members of the alkane homologous
series are gases at room temperature and
pressure. Alkanes with 5 to 17 carbon atoms in
their chains are liquids. Alkanes with more than 17
carbon atoms in their chains are solids. The boiling
points of the alkanes vary in a regular way.

As the carbon chain gets longer, the boiling points

of the alkanes increase. The difference in the
boiling point from one alkane to the next also gets
smaller as the number of carbon atoms increases.
You can predict the boiling point of other alkanes
by following this trend.
 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE ALKANES
COMBUSTION
Alkanes are generally unreactive compounds. They do not react with acids or alkalis. But they do burn and
undergo a few reactions under special conditions. Alkanes burn with a clean blue flame if there is plenty of
oxygen or air present. We describe this reaction as complete combustion. Carbon dioxide and water are
formed:

If there is not enough oxygen present, combustion is incomplete. Carbon monoxide is formed and perhaps
even soot (carbon particles).
 One chemical that alkanes will react with is chlorine – but only
under certain conditions. Alkanes do not react with chlorine in
THE REACTION the dark. However, if we mix chlorine with an alkane in a
sealed tube and keep it in bright sunlight, the green colour of
OF ALKANES the chlorine disappears. A reaction has occurred. This is a
photochemical reaction. A chlorine atom replaces a hydrogen
WITH atom in the alkane. We call this type of reaction a substitution
reaction.
CHLORINE
SUBSTITUTION
REACTION
The acidic gas hydrogen chloride is produced. This turns damp
blue litmus paper red.
Substitution
Reaction of the
Alkanes in the
presence of
sunlight

Similar reactions can be carried

out with other alkanes and
other halogens.
CRACKING ALKANES
All the fractions we get from the distillation of petroleum are
useful. But some are more useful than others – there is greater
demand for them. We use more gasoline (petrol) and diesel
than can be supplied by the fractional distillation of petroleum.

Oil companies solve this problem by breaking down larger

hydrocarbons into smaller, more useful hydrocarbons. This is
called cracking.
 Cracking
Cracking is the thermal decomposition of alkanes. A catalyst is often used. Longer-chained
alkanes are cracked to form a mixture of shorter-chained alkanes and alkenes. For example:

From the cracking, we not only get shorter-chained alkanes which are useful for petrol, we also get alkenes.
Alkenes are very useful for making a variety of chemicals including plastics.
Hydrogen can also be produced by cracking:
 Cracking is often carried out on a large scale using a catalyst. The huge tank
where this takes place is called a catalyst (cat) cracker. The vapour from
the gas-oil or kerosene fractions is passed through a catalyst of silicon(IV)
oxide and aluminium oxide at 400 – 500 0C. The catalyst is a fine powder
which has to be continuously recycled to the cat cracker through a
regenerator tank. This frees the catalyst from any carbon deposited on its

CRACKING surface.

The longer-chained alkanes in the gas-oil or kerosene fractions which are

PETROLEUM less useful are broken down to shorter-chained hydrocarbons:

FRACTIONS ON  The shorter-chained alkanes are used for petrol and very small alkanes
are used for fuel (liquid petroleum gases – LPG).

A LARGE SCALE  The alkenes can be used to make a wide variety of chemicals, including
plastics.
 Hydrogen may also be formed which can be used for making ammonia
or as a fuel.

Catalytic cracking is not the only type of cracking. Long-chained alkanes can
be cracked at a high temperature without a catalyst. A temperature
between 4500C is used. This type of cracking produces a greater percentage
of alkenes.
Class Task
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References 014/07/27/hydrocarbons/
Chemistry for IGCSE by Nelson Thornes
Complete Chemistry for Cambridge IGCSE