Bellarmine College

Chem 116
Fall 1998

Alkanes

Alkanes - a class of hydrocarbons that contain nothing but single bonds. The general formula for noncyclic alkanes is C_nH_2n+2.  Alkane names end with the suffix -ane. The prefix depends on the number of carbons in the chain (click here for the prefix table). Examples of alkanes and their structures are shown below.

Note the line structures on the right for propane and butane. This is a shorthand notation used for organic structures. For more information on line structures click here. To view 3-D structures click here.

IR Spectra

-C-H stretch around 3000 cm^-1.

3-D Structures

A three-dimensional representation of several alkanes is shown below. If you are accessing this from home, you will need to install the Chime plug-in (you may download this from the Chemscape Web Page). To rotate the structure, move the cursor over the molecule and press the left mouse button. Now move the mouse and enjoy! Right-click on the structure to change the image properties.

Methane

ethane

butane

You may download the Chime Plug-In from Chemscape at http://www.mdli.com/download/chime2.html.