COMMON USES OF ALKENE

 Polythylene
A widely used plastic containing polymer chains of ethylene units in various chain lengths.
Example:
 Polyisoprene
A monomer used for the production of synthetic rubber called polyisoprenes which are used
in a wide variety of rubber applications
Example: medical equipment, baby bottle nipples, toys, shoe soles, tires, elastic films
and threads golf balls or textiles
 Pentene
Typically mixed with gasoline that has the usual gasoline smell which helps to give
gasoline its distinctive odor. Gasoline is really just a mixture of many hydrocarbons.
Example: gasoline
 Ethylene
An important industrial organic chemical that is a natural plant hormone and is used in
agriculture to force the ripening of fruits.
Example: fruit ripening machine
 Isobutylene C4H8
A used in organic synthesis and in the production of high octane aviation gasoline.
Example: chewing gum
 Propylene
A fuel for cutting and welding, heat treatment, as power and energy for transportation and
combined oxygen for various industrial processes.
 Propylene - fuel
 Propylene Glycon - antifreeze, used in fire extinguisher
Example: butyl rubber (98% of the raw materials used), fire extinguisher

COMMON USES OF ALKYNE

 Polymers
A strong product that can resist damage and hold water.
Example: water bottle, polyethylene (world’s most widely used plastic)
 Acrylic Acid
An acid that is an important polymer as raw material for many industrial and consumer
products.
Example: nail polish, adhesives
 Oxy Acetylene
Uses enormous amount of heat which can be used in cutting and welding metals, This is
commonly used by welders.
Example: soldering iron
 Ethylene
An important industrial organic chemical that is a natural plant hormone and is used in
agriculture to force the ripening of fruits.
Example: fruit ripening machine
 Ethanol
A chemical compound that Very effective in killing microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and
viruses
Example: hand sanitizer, fuel, alcoholic beverages
 General properties of alkene
Physical
Alkenes contain a double bond that is composed of one sigma and one pi bond between two
carbon atoms. The sigma bond has similar properties to alkanes, while the pi bond is more reactive.

Property Physical
Melting Point higher molecular weight, higher melting point
Boiling Point higher molecular weight, higher boiling point
Flamability high

Solubility soluble in nonpolar solvents, insoluble in water

Polarity nonpolar

 PHYSICAL STATE
 These double bonded compounds are colorless and odorless in nature.
 However, ethene is an exception because it is a colorless gas but has a faintly sweet
odor.
 The first three members of the alkene group are gaseous in nature, next fourteen
members are liquids and the remaining alkenes are solids.
 SOLUBILITY
 The alkenes are insoluble in water due to their nonpolar characteristics.
 But are completely soluble in nonpolar solvents such as benzene, ligroin, etc.
 POLARITY
 Alkenes are weakly polar just like alkanes but are slightly more reactive than alkanes
due to the presence of double bonds.
 The π electrons which make up the double bonds can easily be removed or added as
they are weakly held. Hence, the dipole moments exhibited by alkenes are more than
alkanes.
 The polarity depends upon the functional group attached to the compounds and the
chemical structures.
 MELTING AND BOILING POINT
 The melting points of these double-bonded compounds depend upon the positioning
of the molecules.
 The melting point of alkenes is similar to that of alkanes. However, cis-isomer
molecules have a lower melting point than trans- isomers as the molecules are
packed in a U-bending shape.
CIS – on this side (polar)
TRANS – across (nonpolar)
 The boiling points of the compounds increase as the number of carbon atoms in the
compound increases.
 The boiling point of straight chain alkenes is more that branched chain alkenes just
as in alkanes.
 The Vander Waal Forces is the attraction of intermolecular forces.
 Two types of VDW forces; London dispersion forces and dipole-dipole forces
 GENERAL PROPERTIES OF ALKYNES
First three : gases,
next eight : liquids
The rest : solids

PHYSICAL - colorless and odorless (except for ethyne)

MELTING AND BOILING POINT - increases as the number of carbon increases; carbon
dependent
SOLUBILITY - insoluble in water but can be dissolved in organic solvents
POLARITY - weakly polar or nonpolar
DENSITY - increases as the molecular mass increases; lighter than water
BOND STRENGTH - 839 kilojules

USES OF ALKANES
 Rubber
- butane for synthetic rubber
- derived from petrochemicals
 Fuel
- methane for electricity generation
- produces less carbon dioxide
 Pesticides
- pentane C5H12
- similar to butane and hexane
- volatile, colorless liquid with gasoline-like odor
 Paint
- bestine as solvent; used as the coating
- heptane as the rubber cement; flammable liquid, highly volatile minor component of
gasoline
 Plastic
- ethane that produces ethylene to manufacture plastics

GENERAL PROPERTIES OF ALKANE

PHYSICAL STATE - colorless; has C-C and C-H sigma bonds
BOILING AND MELTING POINT - low; chain length increases, number of carbons
increases, melting and boiling point increases
VOLATILITY - highly volatile; chain length increases, volatility decreases
SOLUBILITY - insoluble in water, dissolves in organic solvents; liquid alkanes are good
solvent to non ionic organic compounds or covalent bonds
DENSITY - higher molecular mass, higher density; constant 0.8 cm to 3 cm; lighter than water