OBJECTIVE

1. To study the chemical properties of an alkane and an alkene.

2. To differentiate an alkane from an alkene.

INTRODUCTION
Organic compound are compounds which we mostly use in our daily life activities and except
for few inorganic salts and ever-present water, everything we put or on body being food,
medicine, cosmetics and clothing consist of organic compounds. Some of these organic
compounds in their raw states are useless and toxic unless they converted into suitable forms
and some of these are carried out by cracking that is in petroleum, and also synthesis as in
polymerisation. Hence it is the duty of chemical engineers to know the characteristics, classes
and type of reaction under which these compounds undergo in order to convert them into
useful products. Organic compounds are compounds which contain carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and halogens. Organic compounds are divided into classes and
each of them are characterised by a functional group. A functional group is a chemically bond
atoms that shows characteristics set of properties. Hydrocarbons are an organic compound
that contains carbon and hydrogen and they are classified according to their structure.
Primarily hydrocarbons are divided into aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. Aliphatic
compounds are carbon compounds arranged in open chains and can be straight chained,
branched and can contain single, double or triple bonds. Aliphatic compounds are divided
into three classes; those with single bonds are called alkanes and are said to be saturated and
those with double or triple bonds are alkenes and alkynes and are unsaturated compounds.
Aromatic compounds on the other hand are compounds containing close rings of carbon
atoms in which the pi-electron are delocalised across the structure. They are referred to as
benzene ring compounds and may also contain other atoms like oxygen and nitrogen. In this
experiment the various hydrocarbons are analysed based upon their fundamental reactions
when they are subjected to various varieties of reagents under some experimental conditions
which would be used to distinguish them.

APPARATUS
White tile
Dropper
Test tube
Water bath
Rubber band
Wood splint
Labelling paper
Evaporating dish
Black sugar paper (6 x 12cm)

CHEMICAL REAGENTS
Dichloromethane
Cyclohexane
Cyclohexene
Acidified KMnO4, 0.01 M
4% bromine in dichloromethane

PROCEDURE
(A)Combustion test
1. 1 ml of cyclohexane and cyclohexene has been placed in two separate evaporating dishes.
2. Both compound has been ignited simultaneously with a burning wood splint.
3. The colour intensity of the flame and soot given off has been compared.
4. The observation has been recorded.

(B)Reaction with bromine in dichloromethane

1. 4 dry of clean test tube has been labelled with A to D.
2. 1 ml of cyclohexane has been placed in test tubes A and B and 1 ml of cyclohexene has
been placed in test tubes C and D.
3. Test tube A and C has been wrapped with black sugar papers.
4. 4 to 5 drops of 4% bromine in dichloromethane has been added into each test tube.
5. Test tube A and C has been kept in a dark place, and test tube B and D in the sunlight. We
leaved them for 10 minutes.
6. The observations has been recorded.

(C)Oxidation with acidified KMnO4

1. 2 dry of clean test tubes has been labelled with G and H.
2. 1 ml each of cyclohexane and cyclohexene has been placed in test tubes G and H
respectively.
3. 5 drops of acidified KMnO4 has been added into each test tube.
4. The test tube was heated in a water bath at 70 to 80oC for 10 15 minutes.
5. The observations has been recorded.

RESULT
(A)Combustion test
Compound
Alkane

Observation
Produce less soot

(cyclohexane)
Alkene

Produce less colour intensity

Produce more soot

(cyclohexene)

Produce more colour intensity

(B)Reaction with bromine in dichloromethane

Compound
A
B
C
D

Observation
No colour changing
Change to colourless
Change to colourless
Change to colourless

(C)Oxidation with acidified KMnO4

Compound
G
H

Observation
Change to purple solution
Change to brown solution

DICUSSION
Although all hydrocarbons contain carbon and hydrogen, they have different properties. The
most common property used to distinguish these hydrocarbons is based on their reaction with

other compounds. From the first experiment, Cyclohexane is a saturated hydrocarbon and
cyclohexene is an unsaturated hydrocarbon due to the presence of double bond. Both
hydrocarbons produce carbon dioxide and water during combustion test. When the oxygen is
limited, the product will be carbon monoxide and water. Cyclohexene burns and produces
more soot because of the higher percentage of carbon compared to cyclohexane. In the
second experiment, when bromine water was added to cyclohexane and shaken and was also
kept in the dark, no colour change was observed which indicated presence of an alkane. But
when this same mixture was exposed to the sunlight there was an observable colour change
and evolution of hydrogen bromide gas. These observable characteristics are very specific of
alkanes which undergo substitution reaction under sunlight. Also when bromine water was
added to cyclohexene, the bromine water decolourised rapidly under room temperature with
evolution of hydrogen bromide gas which indicated the presence of an alkene as they undergo
addition reaction under these conditions. In the third experiment when drops of KMnO4
solution was added to cyclohexane and shaken there was no observable reaction which
indicated the presence of an alkane as alkanes are unreactive towards oxidizing agents.
However when the same drops of KMnO4 solution was added to cyclohexene, there was a
decolourisation of the KMnO4 solution colour which is characteristics of alkenes as they
readily oxidised at room temperature.

CONCLUSION
Our objectives is achieved. In this experiment, the properties and the difference between an
alkane and alkene is identified. Hence, this experiment is a success. Alkane is identified from
alkene by its properties. It can be seen from the tests conducted in the experiment that alkene
is much more reactive than alkane. This is due to its carbon-carbon double bond since it is an
unsaturated hydrocarbon. Alkenes undergo a lot of addition reaction while alkane does not
undergo any addition reaction in the experiments conducted. Instead, alkane only undergo
halogenation which is a substitution reaction when react with bromine water. Thus, alkene is
more reactive than alkane.

REFERENCES
1. Laboratory manual book chemistry semester 2 UniKL NAFAS CPS.
2. https://www.scribd.com/doc/29340429/Reaction-of-Hydrocarbons