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In this article, you will understand various topics on Cycloalkanes in which you will get to know about its classification and uses, along with some examples. You will understand the following topics in this chapter:
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Keyterms: Cycloalkanes, Alkanes, organic molecules, compounds, hydrogen, carbon, hydrocarbons, cyclopentane, cyclobutane, cyclohexane, cycloheptane, cyclooctane, atoms, organic compound
What are Cycloalkanes?
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Cycloalkanes are the organic molecules of some compounds. They can be different based on their structure. All the things present in real life are made of hydrocarbons. Their structure is like a ring made up of these hydrocarbons which is formed due to their saturated nature. They are made of the bonds of hydrogen and carbon where they make a cyclic structure and all the types of cycloalkanes are stable in nature. The smallest cycloalkane is the most stable cycloalkane.
The General Formula to find the type of cycloalkane is CnH2n. In this formula, ‘n’ is the number of atoms which are present in the organic compound. Some common examples of cycloalkanes include cyclopentane, cyclobutane, cyclohexane, cycloheptane, cyclooctane and many more. All these cycloalkanes have different number of carbon atoms present in them.
Read more: Conformation
Nomenclature of Cycloalkanes
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There is only one ring in cyclohexane which is named by taking a prefix ‘cyclo’ in the original name of the alkane. It represents the number of carbon atoms present in the cycloalkane.
There are various examples for this, such as, Cyclopropane is named as a carbon ring with 3 carbon atoms and 6 hydrogen atoms.
| Number of Carbon Atoms present in the Ring | Prefix | Alkane Name | IUPAC Name of Cycloalkane |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Cyclo | butane | cyclobutane |
| 6 | Cyclo | hexane | cyclohexane |
There is only carbon and hydrogen present in the compounds which are mentioned above.
Suffix and Prefix are added according to the priority series of the functional group when anyone substituent is attached in the carbon ring by replacing any one hydrogen. The position of the group is also not mentioned.
| Number of Carbon Atoms present in the Ring | Substituent Group | Prefix | Suffix | IUPAC Name of the Cycloalkane |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | -OH | - | ol | cyclohexanol |
| 6 | -Cl | Chloro | - | Chlorocyclohexane |
The group of the highest priority gets the lowest number if there are more than 1 substituents present by replacing two hydrogen atoms than the position of the substituent group. In the case of same priority group, alphabetical order is followed.
For example, if there are two groups, ‘ethyl’ and ‘methyl’, then the group getting the lowest number is ‘ethyl’ group.
Read more: Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
Properties of Cycloalkanes
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Properties of Cycloalkanes are same as the properties of open chain alkanes. Following are the Properties of Cycloalkanes:
- They possess higher boiling and melting point.
- Their boiling point ranges between 10K to 20K.
- They have higher density.
- They have high amount of London or dispersion forces.
- There is close vicinity of carbon atoms in their ring structure.
- They are highly reactive.
- There is angle strain present in them.
- At the room temperature, the first four classes are in gaseous state.
- They are insoluble in water.
- When burned, their molecules get destroyed.
Read More: Saturated Hydrocarbons
Uses of Cycloalkanes
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Following are the uses of Cycloalkanes:
- They are used as an organic solvent in the production of drugs in the medical applications.
- Cyclopropane (a cycloalkane) is used in the medical field as an anesthetic agent.
- They are used in the manufacture of hair products.
- They are used in food industries.
- They are also used in petroleum industries.
- Cyclobutane (a cycloalkane) has an element named carboplatin which is used in the treatment of cancer.
- It is used for the purposes of pigmentation.
- It is used for making fragrance in the sectors of perfume manufacturing.
- These are also found in the tissues of plants and animals as steroids.
Read more: Conformational Isomers
Some Examples of Cycloalkanes
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Following are Some Examples of Cycloalkanes:
| Carbons | Name (Linear Alkane) | Structural Formula | Condensed Formula #H=[2*#C]+2 | Name (Cyclic Alkane) | Condensed Formula #H=[2*#C] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Propane | CH3CH2CH3 | C3H8 | Cyclopropane | C3H6 |
| 4 | Butane | CH3(CH2)2CH3 | C4H10 | Cyclobutane | C4H8 |
| 5 | Pentane | CH3(CH2)3CH3 | C5H12 | Cyclopentane | C5H10 |
| 6 | Hexane | CH3(CH2)4CH3 | C6H14 | Cyclohexane | C6H12 |
| 7 | Heptane | CH3(CH2)5CH3 | C7H16 | Cycloheptane | C7H14 |
| 8 | Octane | CH3(CH2)6CH3 | C8H18 | Cyclooctane | C8H16 |
| 9 | Nonane | CH3(CH2)7CH3 | C9H20 | Cyclononane | C9H18 |
Also Read:
| Related Articles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Organic Solvents | Classification of Organic Compounds | Alphatic Hydrocarbonds |
Things to Remember
In this chapter, you should remember the following points:
- You should know about the properties, uses and nomenclature of Cycloalkanes.
- You should know about the structures of cycloalkanes.
- You should know the formula of making cycloalkanes.
- You should try to solve some examples of cycloalkanes.
Read more: Huckel Rule
Sample Questions
Ques: What are Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Cycloalkanes? (1 Mark)
Ans: They have special fragrance in them for which they are named as Aromatic Hydrocarbons. They have ring-like structure. They have the presence of planarity in them also.
Ques: What are the conformers of cyclohexane (a cycloalkane)? (1 Mark)
Ans: Cyclohexane has 12 hydrogen atoms attached to their 6 carbon atoms. The Conformers of Cyclohexane are Chair Form, Boat Form, and Half Chair Form. All the shapes are unique in them.
Ques: Which cycloalkane is the most stable cycloalkane? (1 Mark)
Ans: The smallest cycloalkane is the most stable cycloalkane. It is cyclopropane which is the most stable cycloalkane. Its structure is like a triangle and its structural formula is (CH3CH2CH3).
Ques: Is benzene a Cycloalkene? (1 Mark)
Ans: Cyclic Hydrocarbons are made of hydrocarbons and they have least pressure but cyclopentane and cyclohexane are the popular ones. Benzene has a ring of delocalized electrons which only gives extra stability to their structure.
Ques: What is the formula to find out the type of cycloalkane? (1 Mark)
Ans: The General Formula to find the type of cycloalkane is CnH2n. In this formula, ‘n’ is the number of atoms which are present in the organic compound.
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