Properties of Organic Compounds

Alkanes
CnH2n+2
- Name: Suffix -ane e.g. Propane
- single C-C bonds
- are saturated (no more H atoms can be added to their molecules)
- As No. Carbons increases goes from being gas to liquid to solid at room temperature
- Melting and boiling points increase with carbon-chain length
- insoluble in water – hydrocarbons are non-polar
- good solvents for fats & oils – non-polar substances dissolve other non-polar substances
- don’t conduct electricity – no electrons that are free to move

Alkenes
CnH2n
- Name: Suffix -ene e.g. Propene
- contain a C=C double bond
- are unsaturated (more H atoms (or other atoms) can be added to their molecules)
- As No. Carbons increases goes from being gas to liquid to solid at room temperature
- smell – have weak intermolecular forces
- low melting point & boiling point due to the weak intermolecular forces
- insoluble in water – hydrocarbons are non-polar
- good solvents for fats & oils – non-polar substances dissolve other non-polar substances
- don’t conduct electricity – no electrons that are free to move

Alkynes
CnH2n-2
- Name: Suffix -yne E.g. Propyne
- contain a C≡C triple bond
- are unsaturated (more H atoms (or other atoms) can be added to their molecules)
- As No. Carbons increases goes from being gas to liquid to solid at room temperature
- smell – have weak intermolecular forces
- low melting point & boiling point due to the weak intermolecular forces
- insoluble in water – hydrocarbons are non-polar
- good solvents for fats & oils – non-polar substances dissolve other non-polar substances
- don’t conduct electricity – no electrons that are free to move

Haloalkanes
CnH2n+1X
- Name: Prefix -Halogen, Suffix -ane e.g. 1,2-dichloropropane
- R-X, where X – is F, Cl, Br or I (halogen)
- alkanes in which one (or more) hydrogen atoms have been replaced by halogen atoms
- classified as primary, secondary or tertiary like alcohols
- Chloromethane, bromomethane and chloroethane are colorless gases.
- Low-mass haloalkanes are colorless, pleasant-smelling volatile liquids, often volatile. Higher
molar masses are solids.
- Although polar, haloalkanes are only slightly soluble in water - no hydrogen bonding can occur.
- Polarity causes boiling point to be higher than corresponding alkanes.
Alcohols
CnH2n+1OH
- Name: Suffix -ol e.g. Propanol
- Contains one or more -OH functional groups
- R-OH
- Position of –OH group decides primary, secondary or tertiary
- Smaller alcohols (1-3 Carbons) are polar and infinitely soluble in water
- Longer non-polar carbon chains make larger alcohols insoluble
- As no. of Carbons increases, the solubility rapidly decreases
- Melting and boiling points increase with the increasing carbon chain length
Aldehydes
CnH2nO
- Name: suffix -anal e.g. Propanal
- have the carbonyl group C=O on the end C
- are structural isomers of ketones
- methanal is a gas at room temp, other low C atom aldehydes are liquids
- have unpleasant, pungent smells
- C1-4 soluble in water
Ketones
CnH2nO
- Name: suffix -anone, Propanone
- carbonyl group C=O on a middle (non-terminal) carbon.
- first possible molecule is propanone
- if more than 4 C, position of carbonyl group must be specified, eg pentan-2-one
- are structural isomers of aldehydes
- pleasant, sweet odours
- liquids at room temperature
- C1-4 soluble in water
Carboxylic Acids
CnH2n+1COOH
- Name: Suffix -anoic Acid e.g. Propanoic Acid
- contain the –COOH functional group
- the -COOH group is very polar
- Carbon 1-3 are soluble in water
- Carbon 4 and above not (due to long hydrocarbon portion)
- Higher melting and boiling points than alcohols of similar mass due to stronger intermolecular
attractions
- are weak acids – only partly ionised when placed in water
o CH3COOH + H2O ⇌CH3COO- + H3O+
- are poor conductors of electricity as aqueous solutions (as weak acids)
Acid (Acyl) Chlorides
CnH2n+1COCl
- Naming; end in –anoyl chloride, e.g. propanoyl chloride
- Acid chlorides are derivatives of carboxylic acids where the –OH group is replaced by Cl.
- Colorless volatile liquids
- low melting and boiling points
- polar molecules but no hydrogen bonding
- Pungent smell
Amides
CnH2n+1CONH2
- Name: Suffix -amide e.g. Propanamide
- Are carboxylic acid derivatives. The –OH from the acid is replaced by an:
o NH2 (for primary amides) eg RCONH2
o NH (for secondary amides) e.g. RCONHR or
o N (for tertiary amides) e.g. RCONR2.
- methanamide is a liquid at room temperature
- other amides are white crystalline solids at room temperature
- no smell if pure
- the lower carbon molecules are soluble in water
- the high melting points and boiling points due to hydrogen bonds between the O of one
molecule and the amino H of another.
Esters
R-COO-R
- Name: No. of C (alcohol) yl No. of C (Carboxylic Acid/Acid Chloride) anoate
- little polarity so
- insoluble in water (2 layers)
- low melting points & boiling points
- good solvents (for other non-polar substances)
- volatile
- usually characteristic pleasant odours – many are “fruity”
- occur in fats and oils

Amines
CnH2n+1NH2
- Essentially NH3 with 1, 2 or 3 H atoms replaced with alkyl group(s)
o naming based on alkane so C2H5NH2 is aminoethane (IUPAC) but also often called
ethylamine
- Are primary, secondary, and tertiary amines - depending on the number of C atoms the N is
bonded to.
- nucleophiles due to lone pair on the N:
- weak bases since proton acceptors, R-NH2 + H2O ⇌ R-NH3+ + OH¯
- Methylamine and ethylamine are gases
- others have low melting points
- volatile liquids;
- C > 5 are usually solids
- Characteristic “fishy” smell
- Low mass amines soluble in water – as form hydrogen bonds with water;
- larger ones insoluble.
- Tertiary can’t form hydrogen bonds as no H bonded to the N