Alkanes: The First 20 Members
This page provides a comprehensive list of the first 20 alkanes, showcasing their names and molecular formulas. Alkanes are a crucial class of hydrocarbons in organic chemistry, characterized by single bonds between carbon atoms.
The list begins with methane CH4 and progresses through increasingly complex molecules, ending with eicosane C20H42. Each successive alkane adds one carbon atom and two hydrogen atoms to the previous molecule, following the general formula CnH₂n+₂.
Definition: Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons with single bonds between carbon atoms, following the general formula CnH₂n+₂.
Highlight: The systematic naming of alkanes is based on the number of carbon atoms in their longest chain, with prefixes indicating the carbon count e.g.,meth−for1,eth−for2,prop−for3,etc..
Example: Butane C4H10 is the fourth alkane in the series, containing 4 carbon atoms and 10 hydrogen atoms.
The list includes:
- Methane CH4
- Ethane C2H6
- Propane C3H8
- Butane C4H10
- Pentane C5H12
- Hexane C6H14
- Heptane C7H16
- Octane C8H18
- Nonane C9H20
- Decane C10H22
- Undecane C11H24
- Dodecane C12H26
- Tridecane C13H28
- Tetradecane C14H30
- Pentadecane C15H32
- Hexadecane C16H34
- Heptadecane C17H36
- Octadecane C18H38
- Nonadecane C19H40
- Eicosane C20H42
Vocabulary: The prefix "eicos-" in eicosane refers to twenty carbon atoms, derived from the Greek word for twenty.
This list is essential for students studying organic chemistry, as it forms the basis for understanding more complex hydrocarbon structures and their nomenclature. The systematic naming of alkanes and their structural formulas are fundamental concepts in organic chemistry, providing a foundation for exploring more complex organic compounds.
