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Alkanes and radicals 1: Introduction

Alkanes and radicals

Introduction

Let's start with one of the most complex compounds consisting of alkanes and cycloalkanes (naftenes) that can be separated by distillation: Petroleum.


Some tips when writing reactions with radicals, have a look on these reactions below, when an heterolytic bond gets cleaved, the arrowhead gets two barbs. When there is a homolytic bond that gets cleaved the arrowhead that shows the direction of the radical, gets one barb, have a look:


Alkanes are little reactive, they will not react fast and heavily, because they only contain strong sigma σ bindings (single bonds). They also only have non-partial charged atoms. Although, alkanes DO react with Cl2 and Br2. The reactions are listed below, have a look, first the actual reaction, then shown in detail with different steps







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