9.3.5.2 - Chemical properties
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Introduction to Alkenes and Their Reactivity
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we will discuss alkenes. Alkenes are hydrocarbons with at least one carbon-carbon double bond. Can anyone tell me why this double bond makes alkenes reactive?
Because of the pi bond! It has loosely held electrons.
Exactly! The pi bond has loosely held electrons, making alkenes susceptible to electrophilic attack. Any examples of reactions they undergo?
They undergo addition reactions with hydrogen, halogens, and hydrogen halides!
Correct! Addition reactions are key to alkene chemistry. Remember, the double bond is a site for reaction!
What happens when you add bromine to an alkene?
Great question! Adding bromine results in vicinal dihalides and the reddish-orange color disappears—an important test for alkenes!
So, it's like a color change indicator!
Exactly! Let’s summarize: Alkenes are reactive due to their carbon-carbon double bonds that facilitate addition reactions. Remember this!
Addition of Electrophiles to Alkenes
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now, let's dive deeper into how alkenes react with electrophiles. Who can explain what happens when HBr is added to propene?
I think it follows Markovnikov's rule, forming 2-bromopropane as the major product.
Right! The more stable carbocation forms, often leading to 2-bromopropane. Why is this important then?
It tells us how to predict the products of alkene reactions!
Exactly! Predictions based on reaction mechanisms are key in organic synthesis. Water addition also follows this rule.
What happens if there's peroxide present during these reactions?
An excellent query! The peroxide effect causes anti-Markovnikov addition, which is quite useful in synthesis.
So we can create different products just by tweaking conditions!
Exactly! Understanding these reagents and conditions leads to diverse synthetic pathways. Let’s recap the key reactions of alkenes.
Oxidative and Polymerization Reactions
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Let’s look at how alkenes react under oxidative conditions. Who can tell me about the Baeyer’s reagent?
It's cold, dilute KMnO₄ that oxidizes alkenes to form glycols!
Great! This is useful for identifying double bonds in compounds. Now, does anyone know what polymerization is?
Yes! It’s when many alkene molecules join together to form a large polymer like polyethylene!
Exactly right! Polymerization is crucial in industries. So, alkenes can be transformed into long-chain molecules, further illustrating their versatility.
Can you give an example of polymerization conditions?
Sure! High temperature, pressure, and a catalyst facilitate this process. Let’s summarize today’s key points!
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
Alkenes, characterized by the presence of carbon-carbon double bonds, are unsaturated hydrocarbons that undergo various chemical reactions, primarily addition reactions. This section explores how alkenes react with different reagents and the significance of their properties in organic chemistry.
Detailed
Chemical Properties of Alkenes
Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons characterized by at least one carbon-carbon double bond (C=C), denoted by the general formula CₙH₂ₙ. They are notable for their reactivity due to the presence of the double bond, which is a site of chemical reactions.
Reactivity of Alkenes
Due to the presence of the π-bond in the double bond, alkenes are rich in loosely held electrons, making them susceptible to electrophilic attack. The following reactions are common for alkenes:
- Addition Reactions: Alkenes readily undergo addition reactions where electrophiles add across the double bond. Common reactions include:
- Dihydrogen Addition: Alkenes can add hydrogen gas in the presence of a catalyst (like Pd or Ni) to form alkanes.
- Halogen Addition: The addition of halogens (bromine or chlorine) results in vicinal dihalides, which can be used to test for unsaturation by observing the decolorization of bromine water.
- Hydrogen Halide Addition: Hydrogen halides (like HCl, HBr) add to alkenes to form alkyl halides following Markovnikov's rule, where the more substituted carbocation is favored.
- Water Addition: In acidic conditions, water can add to alkenes, yielding alcohols.
- Ozonolysis: Splitting alkenes with ozone leads to aldehydes or ketones, depending on the structure of the alkene. This is useful for determining double bond positions.
- Oxidation Reactions: Alkenes react with cold, dilute KMnO₄ (Baeyer’s reagent) to form vicinal glycols, which is a useful reaction for identifying double bonds.
- Polymerization: Alkenes can polymerize under appropriate conditions, forming large-chain polymers such as polyethylene.
Conclusion
Understanding the chemical properties of alkenes and their reactivity patterns is crucial in the synthesis of various organic compounds, highlighting their importance in both laboratory and industrial applications.
Youtube Videos
![[WOW] redox reaction between Iron and copper ions #shorts](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5vtbnGgQCIo/mqdefault.jpg)
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Physical Properties of Alkenes
Chapter 1 of 2
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Alkenes as a class resemble alkanes in physical properties, except in types of isomerism and difference in polar nature. The first three members are gases, the next fourteen are liquids and the higher ones are solids. Ethene is a colourless gas with a faint sweet smell. All other alkenes are colourless and odourless, insoluble in water but fairly soluble in non-polar solvents like benzene, petroleum ether. They show a regular increase in boiling point with increase in size i.e., every – CH2 group added increases boiling point by 20–30 K. Like alkanes, straight chain alkenes have higher boiling point than isomeric branched chain compounds.
Detailed Explanation
The physical properties of alkenes include their state at room temperature and how they behave in terms of solubility and boiling points. Alkenes can exist as gases, liquids, or solids depending on the number of carbon atoms they contain. The small alkenes, such as ethene, are gases at room temperature, while larger alkenes can be liquid or solid. Unlike alkanes, which have no double bonds, alkenes' physical characteristics are affected by their structure, leading to differences in boiling points. For instance, as more –CH2 (methylene) groups are added to the alkene chain, the boiling point rises by approximately 20-30 Kelvin. This is due to the increase in molecular size and surface area, which enhances intermolecular forces.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine alkenes as different sizes of icebergs in an ocean. Small icebergs (small alkenes) float easily on the surface (gas), medium ones (liquid alkenes) are partially submerged, and the largest ones (solid alkenes) are massive and remain stable in one place at lower temperatures. Just as the size of an iceberg affects its interaction with water, the number of carbon atoms in alkenes affects their boiling and state.
Chemical Properties of Alkenes
Chapter 2 of 2
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Alkenes are the rich source of loosely held pi (π) electrons, due to which they show addition reactions in which the electrophiles add on to the carbon-carbon double bond to form the addition products. Some reagents also add by free radical mechanism. There are cases when under special conditions, alkenes also undergo free radical substitution reactions. Oxidation and ozonolysis reactions are also quite prominent in alkenes.
Detailed Explanation
The chemical properties of alkenes are defined primarily by their double bond. Because they contain a double bond (C=C), alkenes have loosely held π electrons, making them reactive. This reactivity allows them to participate in various addition reactions, where molecules such as hydrogen, halogens, or water can add across the double bond. This means that alkenes can form new compounds from simpler molecules. For example, when ethene (an alkene) reacts with hydrogen gas in the presence of a catalyst, it converts to ethane, a saturated hydrocarbon. Likewise, alkenes can undergo oxidation to form alcohols or acids, and ozonolysis, where they react with ozone to break apart into smaller molecules.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a double bond in alkenes like a door that can open wider to welcome guests. The loosely held π electrons are like friendly guests who can easily enter the party (a reaction) and bring new friends (new atoms or groups) into the event. This openness to interactions is what makes alkenes versatile and reactive, allowing them to participate in various delightful chemistry ‘parties’ with different guests.
Key Concepts
-
Alkenes: Hydrocarbons with double bonds, reactive due to π electrons.
-
Electrophilic Addition: Mechanism involving electrophilic attack on the double bond.
-
Oxidation: Alkenes convert to glycols via reactions with KMnO₄.
-
Polymerization: Alkenes form long-chain molecules under specific conditions.
Examples & Applications
When ethene reacts with HBr, it forms bromoethane following Markovnikov's rule.
The addition of bromine to cyclohexene leads to vicinal dibromides.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
Alkenes like to react, double bonds in tact; add some H and Br, watch products raise the bar.
Stories
Imagine alkenes at a party where the double bond is the VIP. It attracts everyone, getting them to add on and change!
Memory Tools
Remember the mnemonic 'A PIE' - Addition, Polymerization, Involves Electrophiles for alkene reactions.
Acronyms
Use the acronym 'BASH' for addition reactions
Bromine
Acid
Sulfuric
Hydrogen.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Alkenes
Unsaturated hydrocarbons containing at least one double bond.
- Electrophile
A reagent that accepts electrons from another species.
- Addition Reaction
A chemical reaction where two or more molecules combine to form a larger molecule.
- Markovnikov's Rule
The rule stating that the electrophile adds to the less substituted carbon atom in a double bond.
- Polymerization
A process where small molecules (monomers) join to form larger molecules (polymers).
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.