Experiment Properties of Alkenes

Discussion
Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons that contain at least one carboncarbon double bond which is known as olefinic bond or ethylenic bond. Alkenes have
the fewer number of hydrogen per carbon and their general formula is C nH2n. alkene
is also known as olefin. Alkanes which is also known as paraffin are saturated
aliphatic hydrocarbons with general formula of C nH2n+2. They have only carboncarbon single bond and carbon hydrogen bond with the maximum possible number
of hydrogen per carbon. Alkenes are more reactive than alkanes due to the
presence of electrons in the ethylenic bond which is a weak bond that can easily
undergo additional reaction such as electrophilic addition. Alkenes are connected to
each other by ethylenic bond so they are having free electrons in the outer shell.
Alkenes have more bond energy compared to alkanes because of the presence of
bond in addition to sigma bond. The presence of the bond does not allow free
movement of molecules. Hence a strain builds up in the alkene molecules which
makes it more reactive. The bond of alkenes is a very weak bond that make the
electrons of bond are more exposed to be attacked by an electrophile. Therefore,
alkenes are more reactive than alkanes.
In the combustion reaction, cyclohexene was burnt with a yellow-orange and
very sooty flame. Alkenes burn completely in excess oxygen to produce carbon
dioxide and water. However, the incomplete burning of alkenes will produce carbon
monoxide and carbon. The carbon produced are the soots that can be observed
during the experiment. For example, the thermochemical equation of the
combustion of cyclohexene are
(i)
(ii)

2C6H10 (l) + 17O2(g) 12CO2(g) + 10H2O(l)

C6H10 (l) + 4O2(g) CO2(g) + CO(g) + 4C(g) + 5H2O(l)

(complete combustion)
(incomplete combustion)

Alkenes (cyclohexene) burn with more sooty flame compared to alkanes

(cyclohexane). This is because alkenes have higher percentage of carbon in their
molecules than alkanes.
The reaction by adding bromine to cyclohexene is an additional reaction
which is known as bromination (halogenation). When an alkene is mixed with
bromine, brown colour of bromine is rapidly decolourised. whenever the reaction is
carried in dark or light, there are no differences because reaction with bromine is
very reactive. The bromination starts when the electron cloud of the bond in the
hexane molecule first polarises an approaching bromine molecule. Electrophilic
addition the occurs when a weak sigma bond is formed between the positive end of
the polarised molecule, Br+ and one of the carbon atoms in the double bond. The
carbocation or carbonium ion formed then react rapidly with the nucleophile. The
example of mechanism of bromination is shown as below :

The
equation of bromination of cyclohexene is :

C6H10 (l) +

diethyl ether

C6H10Br2 (l)

example of chemical

Br2(l)

The product formed is only in single layer because both organic solvent which are
bromine and cyclohexene are mixed.
The reaction of adding bromine water to cyclohexene is an additional
reaction of alkene. The brown colour of bromine water decolourised and two
colourless layer of solution are formed. The solution formed two layer because the
bromine water are inorganic solvent while cyclohexene is organic solvent which
cannot mix together. The chemical equation of this experiment is :
C6H10 (l) + Br2(aq) C6H10Br2 (aq)
Moreover, the reaction between cyclohexene and potassium manganate(VII)
is known as hydroxylation. The purple colour of potassium manganate(VII)
decolourised and 2 layer of solution are formed. In reaction with potassium
manganate (VII), cyclohexene is oxidized and produce diol which two hydroxyl
groups are added to the double bond. The chemical reaction of this reaction is :
C6H10 + KMnO4 C6H10(OH)2 + MnO2
Hexene react with potassium manganate (VII) will produce diol. However, hexane
will not react with potassium manganate (VII) because hexane does not contain any
carbon-carbon double bond and it has reached maximum number of hydrogen per
carbon.
In addition, when cycloalkene react with concentrated sulphuric acid, 3
layer of different colour of solution are formed. the colour of the solution formed are
dark brown, yellow and colourless. The dark brown colour of solution is due to the
presence of the precipitate which is dark in colour known as cyclohexane hydrogen
sulphate. This reaction is an oxidatihexn reaction. The chemical equation for this
reaction is
C6H10 + H2SO4 C6H11OSO2OH
Hexane react with concentrated sulphuric acid will produce alkyl hydrogensulphates
while hexane will not react with concentrated sulphuric acid. This is because alkane
is non-polar molecule while sulphuric acid is polar molecule. There are no
interaction between non-polar and polar molecule. Thus, hexane will not react with
concentrated sulphuric acid.
There are some tests can be used to distinguish between cyclohexene
and cyclohexane. Firstly, react these two organic compound with concentrated

sulphuric acid. Cyclohexene will react with concentrated sulphuric acid and produce
three layer of colour solution while there is no reaction for the cyclohexane.
Secondly, react these two organic compound with bromine. Cyclohexene will
decolourise the reddish-brown bromine but cyclohexane will not decolourise the
reddish-brown. Besides, reaction with acidified potassium manganate (VII) solution
also can be used to distinguish between cyclohexene and cyclohexane. Cyclohexene
will decolourise purple potassium manganate (VII) solution but cyclohexane will not
have any reaction.
During the experiment, there are some safety and precaution steps that
must be done to minimize the danger and error that will occur. During the
experiment do not handle the chemical with bare hand because the chemical
solution such as concentrated sulphuric acid and bromine dissolved in diethyl ether
are corrosive. A pair of gloves must be worn. When shaking the solution, a cork is
used to close the mouth of the test tube before shaking. The solutions such as
cyclohexene and concentrated sulphuric acid must be handle in the fume chamber.
After using the cyclohexene and bromine, the reagent bottle needed to close quickly
to avoid the organic vapors come out. Do not shake the test tube when
concentrated sulphuric acid is added to the cyclohexene. After finishing the
experiment, the solutions cannot be pour into the sink, it must be pour into a
reagent bottle which is used to keep the chemical waste.