alkaneen

Alkaneen is not a term that is widely recognized in standard chemical nomenclature. In scientific usage there is no agreed-upon definition for "alkaneen," and it may be a misspelling, a missinterpretation, or a fictional/alternative spelling in some contexts. If the intended term is alkane, the following describes that class.

Alkanes are a family of saturated hydrocarbons containing only carbon–carbon and carbon–hydrogen single bonds. In acyclic alkanes, the general formula is CnH2n+2, where n is the number of carbon atoms. Cycloalkanes have the formula CnH2n. Alkanes are typically colorless and nonpolar, with relatively low chemical reactivity aside from radical and combustion reactions.

They occur naturally in crude oil and natural gas and are major energy resources. They are widely used as fuels (such as gasoline, diesel, and LPG) and as feedstocks for the production of polymers and other chemicals. Alkanes can be obtained by refining petroleum, processing natural gas, or through certain laboratory synthesis routes.

Physical properties such as boiling and melting points rise with increasing carbon chain length. They are relatively insoluble in water and soluble in nonpolar organic solvents. Alkanes are generally flammable and undergo complete combustion to carbon dioxide and water; incomplete combustion can produce carbon monoxide and particulate matter.

Safety and environmental notes: burning alkanes releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Short-chain alkanes are more volatile and can affect indoor air quality as vapors, while longer-chain alkanes are less volatile.

See also: alkane, alkene, cycloalkane, hydrocarbon.