Question
What are alkanes and cycloalkanes ?
Solution
Alkanes. Alkanes are the saturated hydrocarbons. They contain only carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen single bonds. They are represented by the general formula.CnH2n+2 (where n = 1, 2, 3, 4.......etc.). For example,
Cycloalkanes: Saturated alicyclic hydrocarbons in which all the carbon atoms are joined by single covalent bonds are called cycloalkanes. These are represented by the formula CnH2n if they are monocyclic and CnH2n_2 in case they are bicyclic. For example,
| n = 1 | CH4 | Methane |
| n = 2 | C2H6 | Ethane |
| n = 3 | C3H8 | Propane |
| n = 4 | C4H10 |
Butane |
| n = 5 | C5H12 | Pentane |
| n = 6 | C6H14 | Hexane |
| n = 7 | C7H16 | Heptane |
| n = 8 | C8H18 | Octane |
| n = 9 | C9H20 | Nonane |
| n = 0 | C10H22 | Decane |
Cycloalkanes: Saturated alicyclic hydrocarbons in which all the carbon atoms are joined by single covalent bonds are called cycloalkanes. These are represented by the formula CnH2n if they are monocyclic and CnH2n_2 in case they are bicyclic. For example,
