Alkanes

Alkanes

The simplest organic compounds are [|hydrocarbons]. Hydrocarbons contain only two elements, [|hydrogen] and [|carbon]. A saturated hydrocarbon or [|alkane] is a hydrocarbon in which all of the carbon-carbon bonds are single [|bonds]. Each carbon atom forms four bonds and each hydrogen forms a single bond to a carbon.

The general formula for an alkane is C//n//H2//n//+2 where //n// is the number of carbon atoms in the molecule. Formula** || **Structural Formula** ||
 * **# Carbon** || **Name** || **Molecular
 * 1 || Methane || CH4 || CH4 ||
 * 2 || Ethane || C2H6 || CH3CH3 ||
 * 3 || Propane || C3H8 || CH3CH2CH3 ||
 * 4 || Butane || C4H10 || CH3CH2CH2CH3 ||
 * 5 || Pent ane || C5H12 || CH3CH2CH2CH2CH3 ||
 * 6 || Hex ane || C6H14 || CH3(CH2)4CH3 ||
 * 7 || Hept ane || C7H16 || CH3(CH2)5CH3 ||
 * 8 || Oct ane || C8H18 || CH3(CH2)6CH3 ||
 * 9 || Non ane || C9H20 || CH3(CH2)7CH3 ||
 * 10 || Dec ane || C10H22 || CH3(CH2)8CH3 ||
 * Rules for Naming Alkanes**
 * The parent name of the molecule is determined by the number of carbons in the longest chain.
 * In the case where two chains have the same number of carbons, the parent is the chain with the most substituents.
 * The carbons in the chain are numbered starting from the end nearest the first substituent.
 * In the case where there are substituents having the same number of carbons from both ends, numbering starts from the end nearest the next substituent.
 * When more than one of a given substituent is present, a prefix is applied to indicate the number of substituents. Use di- for two, tri- for three, tetra- for four, etc. and use the number assigned to the carbon to indicate the position of each substituent.

For Further reading from the source:

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/bl052503a.htm