There are four general characteristics of Organic Compounds:
1.Low melting point;
2.Weak or Non-electrolytes;
3.Can link with other atoms in Single bonds, Double bonds & Triple bonds;
4.Can form chains of carbon atoms that are linked in a straight-line, circular pattern or branched pattern.
ALKANES(it is straight chain)
Alkanes are the chemical compounds which consist only of elements Carbon(C) and Hydrogen(H) .And alkanes are linked together only by single bonds.
Alkanes naming: the names of all hydrocarbons end in "-ane" .
Here are the names of Alkanes:
Methane CH4
Ethane C2H6
Propane C3H8
Butane C4H10
Pentane C5H12
Hexane C6H14
Heptane C7H16
Octane C8H18
Nonane C9H20
Decane C10H22
By them, we can easily know the general formula for writing the formula of an alkane is:CnH2n+2
Branched Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons can have branched which are also hydrocarbon chains.These hydrocarbons are called substituted hydrocarbons or branched hydrocarbons.
For example:
Carbon has 4 bonds
Four hydrogen atoms.
When a carbon is attached to one other carbons.
Three hydrogen atoms.
↓
Two hydrogen atoms.
↓
One hydrogen atom.
↓
Zero hydrogen atom!
Alkyl group:an alkane that has lost one hydrogen atom called alkyl.
Naming the names of all alkyl group end in "-yl".(it is because they are alkyls)
Use these:"di","tri","tetra",etc. when there are more than one of the same kind of alkyl group.
But if there are more than one kind of alkyl group, list them alphabetically, put its position number in front, put a dash between each alkyl group and its number.
Here's an example.
Both of them are C4H10. But they are different. The first one is butane.The second one is 2-methylpropane.
So now it is easy for you, isn't it?
