CARBON COMPOUNDS

Carbon Compounds
Is a compound contains carbon as one
element in that substance.
Can divided into to
a) Organic carbon compounds
b) Inorganic carbon compounds

Organic Carbon
is a carbon compound found in, produced
by or derived from living elements.
Compounds from natural resources such as
animals or plants
contains one or more carbon atoms in their
main structure whereby the atom are
bonded covalently with other elements such
as hydrogen, oxygen or nitrogen etc.

Inorganic carbon
Carbon compounds that is not originate from
living organisms.
Normally obtain from the Earth resources.

HYDROCARBON
Hydrocarbon is a compound made out of
the elements carbon and hydrogen only.
Examples of hydrocarbon are alkane, alkene
and alkyne.
Hydrocarbon can be divided into two
groups:

saturated hydrocarbon
Saturated hydrocarbons are hydrocarbons
where all its carbon atoms are tied to each
other through single covalent bond only.
Examples: alkanes

unsaturated hydrocarbon

Unsaturated hydrocarbons are

hydrocarbons which contains at least one
double covalent bond among its carbon
atoms. Examples: alkenes

Ethanol ( C2H5OH ), ethanoic acid

(CH3COOH), metal methanoat (HCOOCH3),
chloromethane (CH3Cl) and others are not
hydrocarbons because the molecule
contains other elements such as chlorine or
oxygen other than carbon and hydrogen.

MUST Know!
Saturated - All single bond between
carbons
Unsaturated - Has at least one double/triple
bond between carbons

Homologous series

Homologo
us series
Alkane
Alkene
Alcohol
Carboxylic
acid
Ester

General
formula
CnH2n+2
CnH2n
CnH2n+1OH

CnH2n+1COOH
CnH2n+1COOCm
H2m+1

Functional
Group
C-C
C=C
Hydroxyl -OH
CarboxylCOOH
Carboxylate
group-COO-

ALKANES
Carbon compounds as a major substances in
petroleum
Only have single bond between carbon atoms.
(saturated hydrocarbon)
General formula CnH2n+2,
n=1,2,3
Structural formula shows how the atoms in a molecule
are bonded together and by what types of bonds.

Physical properties of Alkanes

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The melting points and boiling points of

alkanes are lower. And it increases as
number of carbon atoms per molecule
increases.
First 4 alkanes are gas at room
temperature.
The density is lower (lower than water).
And it increases as number of carbon
atoms per molecule increases.
All alkanes are insoluble in water and
dissolve in organic solvents (covalent
bond)
All alkanes not conduct electricity, as a
molecule and has no free moving ions.

Chemical Properties of Alkanes

1)

2)

Less reactive because they are saturated

hydrocarbon.
Just only undergo:-

i) Combustion reaction
ii) Halogenation/Substitution reaction
- with presence of ultraviolet as a catalyst
- sunlight or UV is needed to break the
covalent bond in the halogen molecule to
produce the atom. Then the halogen atom will
substitute the hydrogen in alkanes molecules.

a) Combustion (burnt with O2)

1.

Complete Combustion (in excess oxygen)

Produce Carbon dioxide, CO2 and water, H2O
Alkanes + O2
CO2 + H2O
Ex: CH4 + 2O2
CO2 + 2H2O

2. Incomplete Combustion ( limited oxygen)

Burnt in sooty flame to produce carbon, C
a(soot), Carbon monoxide, CO, CO2 and water,
H 2O
Ex: 2CH4(g) + 3O2(g)
2CO(g) + 4H2O(l)

CH4(g) + O2(g)
C(s) + 2H2O(l)

When molecular size of alkanes increases, it

become more difficult to burn.
Large molecules of alkanes burn with sootier
flames. This is because the number of carbon
atom per molecule increases.
The % of carbon by mass in the alkane molecule
also increases.
Ex: Butane burns with more sooty flame compare
to ethane.
% carbon by mass in butane, C4H10
=
4(12)
x 100% = 82.76%
4(12) + 10(1)
% carbon by mass in ethane, C2H6
=
2(12)
x 100% = 80%
2(12) + 6(1)

Substitution Reaction
Alkanes react with chlorine or bromine
Condition must have sunlight or
ultraviolet.
2. Reaction where hydrogen atom will be
replace with chlorine or bromine atom.
1.

In this reaction, we will observe that brown

colour of bromine gas turns colourless

The effect of Methane

Anaerobic decay of plant can produce
methane.
The formation of methane gas in landfills
and peat swamps will cause fire because
methane is flammable gas
Methane gas is also more effective than
carbon dioxide gas as the greenhouse gas.
A greenhouse gas traps heat energy from
sunlight, thus increasing the earths
average temperature.

Exercise 2.1
Write the molecular formula of alkanes with the
following number of carbon atoms. Then draw the
structural formula of each alkanes.
a) 3
b) 6
c) 8
2. Write the equation for the complete combustion of
each of the following compounds.
a) Propane
b) Butane
c) pentane
3. Ethane reacts with bromine under suitable
conditions.
a) State the reacting conditions for the above reaction.
b) Write the molecular formulae of bromoethane and
tribromoethane.
c) What would you observe in this reaction?
1.

ALKENES

Are unsaturated hydrocarbon.

At least one reactive carbon-carbon double
bond.
General formula CnH2n.

Physical Properties

1.

2.

Alkenes are covalent compounds. So it has

weak intermolecular forces between the
molecule. it have almost similar physical
properties as alkanes.
State of matter
First 3 alkenes are gases.
Pentene to 15 carbon atoms are liquid
Alkenes containing 16 carbon atoms and
above are solid.
Solubility
Alkenes are insoluble in water but soluble
in organic solvent.(covalent compounds)

Electrical conductivity
- Cannot conduct electricity because only
consist neutral molecules.
4. Melting and boiling points
Have low melting and boiling points
As the no. of carbon atoms per molecules
increases, the melting and boiling points
increases.
Because as the molecular size of alkene
increases, the intermolecular forces of
attraction between molecules become
stronger. More heat energy needed to
overcome these intermolecular forces.
3.

Density
- Less dense than water. They float on top of
water.
6. Viscosity
When going down the series, alkenes
become more viscous.
Because the molecules become longer and
get entangled together and flow less
easily.
5.

Chemical Properties
Alkenes are more reactive because of
carbon-carbon double bond. (unsaturated)
The chemical reaction of alkenes:a) Combustion
b) Addition reaction
c) Polymerisation reaction.

1. Combustion of alkenes
a)

Alkenes burn completely in excess oxygen to produce

carbon dioxide and water.

b)

In limited supply of oxygen, alkenes burn incompletely

to produce carbon monoxide, soot(carbon) and water
vapour, H2O
2CH4(g) + 3O2(g)
CH4(g) + O2(g)

c)

d)

2CO(g) + 4H2O(l)
C(s) + 2H2O(l)

Large molecules of alkenes burn in air with sootier

flames as compared with smaller alkenes due to higher
% of carbon by mass in the larger molecules.
** compare combustion alkene and alkane .

Addition reactions

One of the two bond in the double bond is easily

broken.
So alkenes much reactive than corresponding
alkanes.
Atoms or group of atoms are added to each carbon
atom of C=C to form single product.
5 addition reaction of alkenes:a) Addition of hydrogen (hydrogenation)
b) Addition of halogen (halogenation)
c) Addition of hydrogen halides
d) Addition of water ( hydration)
e) Addition of hydroxyl

Addition of Hydrogen (Hydrogenation)

Alkenes react with hydrogen gas to produces

alkanes with the presence of nickel as catalyst at
180
Ex: mixture of pentene and hydrogen is passed
over nickel at 180, pentane is produced.

C5H10(g) + H2(g)

C 5H12(g)

Addition of halogens (Cl, Br)

Name of reaction: Halogenation (Bromination,
Chlorination)
Chlorine, Bromine and Iodine can react easily with
alkenes without the present of catalyst of UV.
Ex:- ethene gas is passed through aqeous solution
of bromine, the brown bromine decolourised and
colourless liquid (1,2-dibromoethane) is formed

Addition of hydrogen halides (HCl, HBr, HI)

Hydrogen Chloride, hydrogen bromide and

hydrogen Iodide react with alkenes at room
temperature to produce saturated compound.
Ex:- Ethene react with hydrogen chloride gas will
produced chloroethane.

Addition of water (steam)

Alkenes react with steam to produces alcohols.

Reaction: Hydration
Catalyst: Phosphoric acid, H3PO4
Condition: 300, 60 atm

Ex:- when a mixture of ethene and steam (H2O)

is passed over phosphoric acid at 300, 60 atm,
ethanol is produced.

Addition of hydroxyl group (acidified potassium

manganate (VII)

Alkene reacts with potassium manganate (VII),

KMnO4 solution acidified with sulphuric acid, H2SO4
at room condition
The purple colour of the solution decolourised
contain two hydroxyl group (-OH) added to alkene.
The compound formed called diol

Polymerisation reaction
Polymerisation is the chemical reaction in which
small molecules (monomers) join together to form
a large molecules (polymer)
The condition of polymerisation takes place:i.
Temperature: 100 - 300
ii.
Pressure : 1000 - 1200 atm

Production of Ethanol
1.

In industry
Produced through addition reaction or the
hydration of ethene, C2H4
Mixture of ethene is flowed through phosphoric
acid, H3PO4 at temperature 300, 60 atm
pressure.

2.

In Laboratory
Produced via fermentation process on
carbohydrate sources (glucose, starch, wheat,
barely, grapes etc) followed by distillation
process.
Fermentation is a process of breaking down
carbohydrates into ethanol (alcohol) and
carbon dioxide via yeast action.
C6H12O6(aq)

yeast

2C2H5OH(l) + 2CO2(g)

Zymase enzyme in yeast acts on carbohydrates

and changes it into ethanol and release CO2
Distillation process required to purify the ethanol

Physical Properties of Ethanol

a) A colourless liquid at room temperature
b) Sharp smell
c) Low melting and boiling points
d) Volatile
e) Soluble in water
f)
An organic solvent that can dissolve certain
organic compounds (ink, chlorophyll, varnish)
Chemical Properties of Ethanol
g) Combustion reaction
h) Dehydration reaction
i)
Oxidation reaction
j)
Esterification reaction
k) Reaction with reactive metals such as sodium

Complete combustion (excess oxygen)

Burnt easily and completely in
excess oxygen.
Sootless blue flame
Produces carbon dioxide and water
C2H5OH (l) + 3O2(g)

2CO2(g) + 3H2O(l)

Dehydration reaction
Change Ethanol into Ethene
Alcohol

Alkenes

Dehydration is a chemical reaction that

involves the removal of water molecules
from a compound
Can be carried out in 2 methods.
Method 1
Ethanol vapour is flowed over heated
porcelain pieces produced ethene and water.

C2H5OH(l)

C2H4(g) + H2O(l)

- Pocelain pieces function as catalyst and drying

agent(dehydrating agent in this reaction.

Method 2
Heating ethanol with concentrated sulphuric
acid H2SO4 is heated under reflux at
temperature 170C.
Concentrated sulphuric acid as a drying
agent and catalyst.

Oxidation reaction
- Ethanol can be oxidised to ethanoic acid
(carboxylic acid) by using oxidation agents
such:a) Acidified potassium dichromate (VI)
solution, K2Cr2O7. (orange to green)
C2H5OH(l) + 2[O]
H2O(l)

CH3COOH(l) +

b) Acidified potassium manganate (VII),

KMnO4. (purple to colourless)
CH3CH2OH(l) + 2[O]
H2O(l)

CH3COOH(l) +