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Related Concept Videos

Structure of Alkanes02:23

Structure of Alkanes

34.7K
The formation of carbon-carbon bonds leading to the creation of the carbon chain is the basis of organic chemistry. August Kekulé and Archibald Scott Couper independently developed this idea of carbon chain formation.
Hydrocarbons are the simplest organic compounds composed of carbons and hydrogens. Based on the bond order between carbons, the hydrocarbons are further classified into alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. 
Alkanes are the simplest hydrocarbons with sp3 hybrid carbon atoms....
34.7K
Nomenclature of Alkanes02:22

Nomenclature of Alkanes

27.3K
In the late 19th-century, the number of new chemical compounds discovered increased tremendously. Hence, the necessity arose to develop a naming system for the systematic nomenclature of these newly discovered compounds. IUPAC (International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry), established in 1919, sets rules for the nomenclature.
The alkane nomenclature considers the length of the carbon chain, the number, and the location of the substituent to arrive at its systematic name. The IUPAC...
27.3K
Mass Spectrometry: Long-Chain Alkane Fragmentation01:18

Mass Spectrometry: Long-Chain Alkane Fragmentation

2.5K
The molecular ions of linear alkanes prefer to fragment at the carbon-carbon bond away from the end of the chain since the cleavage of an inner bond creates a stable carbocation and a stable radical. Consequently, the mass signals of linear alkanes feature intense peaks in the middle of the mass-to-charge ratio plot with weaker peaks on either end. The fragmentation of each carbon-carbon bond with the release of a methyl group in each splitting leads to prominent peaks in the mass spectra...
2.5K
Constitutional Isomers of Alkanes02:18

Constitutional Isomers of Alkanes

22.8K
Organic compounds of the same molecular formula can have different structural formulas called constitutional isomers, and the phenomenon is known as constitutional isomerism. Alkanes with four or more carbons showing multiple structures with the same molecular formula thereby exhibit constitutional isomerism.
The linear isomer of an alkane is prefixed by the term “n”; hence a linear isomer of pentane is known as n-pentane. Based on the type of branching, some of the...
22.8K
Physical Properties of Alkanes02:33

Physical Properties of Alkanes

14.9K
Alkanes are nonpolar molecules due to the presence of only carbon and hydrogen atoms. The electronegativity difference between carbon and hydrogen is minimal, and hence alkanes have a zero dipole moment. This leads to the presence of only dispersion forces between the molecules. The strength of dispersion forces is dependent on the surface area of the molecules on which they act. Since the surface area increases with the molecular length for straight-chain alkanes, the dispersion forces also...
14.9K
Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents01:27

Radical Substitution: Halogenation of Alkanes and Alkyl Substituents

10.2K
In the presence of heat or light, alkanes react with molecular halogens to form alkyl halides by a substitution reaction called radical halogenation. This reaction has three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination, as seen in the radical chlorination of methane to produce methyl chloride.
In the initiation step of the reaction, the chlorine molecule undergoes homolytic cleavage in the presence of light or heat, forming two highly reactive chlorine radicals. Propagation occurs in two...
10.2K

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Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Predicting Catalyst Extrudate Breakage Based on the Modulus of Rupture
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Predicting Catalyst Extrudate Breakage Based on the Modulus of Rupture

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Challenges and opportunities for alkane functionalisation using molecular catalysts.

Xinxin Tang1, Xiangqing Jia1, Zheng Huang1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry , Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry , University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Chinese Academy of Sciences , 345 Lingling Road , Shanghai 200032 , China .

Chemical Science
|April 10, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Transition metal catalysis enables the conversion of low-value alkanes into valuable chemicals via C sp3-H bond functionalization. This review covers methods, regioselectivity factors, and future catalyst development for alkane transformations.

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Area of Science:

  • Catalysis
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Organometallic Chemistry

Background:

  • Converting abundant saturated hydrocarbons (alkanes) into valuable chemicals is a significant challenge.
  • Advances in organometallic and coordination chemistry have enabled C sp3-H bond functionalization for alkane transformations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a systematic overview of transition metal-catalyzed C sp3-H bond functionalization methods for alkanes.
  • To highlight factors influencing regioselectivity in these reactions.
  • To discuss current challenges and future directions in catalyst development.

Main Methods:

  • Review of radical-initiated C-H functionalization protocols.
  • Analysis of carbene/nitrene insertion reactions.
  • Examination of transition metal-catalyzed C-H bond activation strategies.

Main Results:

  • Overview of diverse alkane functionalization methodologies.
  • Identification of key factors governing regioselectivity in C-H activation.
  • Discussion of limitations in current catalytic systems.

Conclusions:

  • Transition metal catalysis offers powerful routes for alkane functionalization.
  • Understanding regioselectivity is crucial for targeted synthesis.
  • Further catalyst development is needed to overcome existing challenges and advance alkane transformations.