EXPERIMENT 1

Reactions of Hydrocarbons

Aim
-

To investigate the polarity of hydrocarbons

To distinguish between different types of hydrocarbons alkanes, alkenes, benzenes
To observe bromination and permanganate oxidation reactions of alkanes, alkenes,
benzenes

Introduction
Hydrocarbons are compounds which contain only carbon and hydrogen atoms. Aliphatic
hydrocarbons are divided into three classes: alkanes have only single bonds, and are said to be
saturated; alkenes and alkynes have carbon-carbon double or triple bonds, and are said to be
unsaturated.
Alkanes have the general formula CnH2n+2, where n is a natural number (1,2,3,). The simplest
alkane is methane gas, CH4. The primary source of alkanes is petroleum. Alkanes are relatively
inert to chemical oxidizing agents such as neutral or alkaline permanganate, where alkenes are
readily oxidized at room temperature. The change in color can be used as a test for a double
bond, provided the molecule contains no easily oxidizable group. Alkanes are almost totally
insoluble in water because of their low polarity and their disability to form hydrogen bonds.
Liquid alkanes are soluble in one another, and they are generally dissolved in solvents of low
polarity such as benzene C6H6, Carbon tetrachloride CCl4, chloroform CHCl3 and other organic
compounds. Alkanes react slowly or not at all with bromine at room temperature in the dark, but
in the presence of sunlight, substitution is fairly rapid:
R-H + Br2 /light R-Br + HBr (a substitution reaction)
X
X2 /light

+ ( HBr )

The reaction is easily detected by loss of the bromine color and by evolution of hydrogen
bromide.
Alkenes and cycloalkenes are hydrocarbons which contains a carboncarbon double bond:
C C

The simplest alkene is ethene (ethylene) gas. The general formula of Alkenes is CnH2n and of
cycloalkenes is CnH2n-2. The simplest cycloalkenes have physical properties similar to those of
corresponding Alkenes. Alkenes are very reactive with compared to alkanes because of the
double bond, which can be opened.

While typical reactions of alkanes are substitution reactions (such as with halogens), typical
reactions of alkenes are addition reactions to the double bond.
Addition of hydrogen halides to alkenes. For example:
H

H H

H
C

H3C

H Cl

H3C

CH3

Cl
CH3

Bromine adds rapidly at room temperature to alkenes in a reaction, which does not require light.
Since the product is colorless, the bromine is rapidly decolorized when added to an alkene.

The reagent is potentially dangerous. Keep it off your skin and clothes. Protect
your eyes.
X
C=C

X2 / CH2Cl2

C- C
X

Procedure
1.

Place 2 mL of each substance to separate test tubes. Add 3 mL of water to each of the test
tubes, and cork it with a stopper. Shake it gently and carefully remove the stopper. Watch
to see if the hydrocarbons are soluble in water. Repeat with benzene. Describe your
observations.

2.

Bromine Test - add 1 mL of each hydrocarbon to a small test tube, hydrocarbon to 3 - 4

mL of 2% bromine in carbon tetrachloride (Br2/CCl4). Shake well and observe after two
or three minutes. If the bromine is not decolorized prepare a second similar tube and
place on tube in your laboratory locker and the other in bright sunlight. Allow both tubes
to stand for ten to fifteen minutes and compare them. Observe the color of each tube, and
whether or not hydrogen bromide was evolved and record the results.

3.

Add 2 mL of the substance in 2 mL of water. Add 2% potassium permanganate solution

dropwise and observe the result.

Treatment of data

Report your results in tabular form under the headings:

TEST
OBSERVATION

CONCLUSION

Describe two tests each on how to prepare an alkene, alkyne and alkane, with equations.
Draw skeletal (line bond) structures for the following compounds: cyclohexane and
cyclohexene.
What are the general formulae for alkanes and cycloalkanes?