decane

Decane is a saturated acyclic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C10H22. It encompasses a family of isomers, the most notable being n-decane, a straight-chain alkane. Decane is a colorless, flammable liquid with a characteristic hydrocarbon odor. At room temperature, its boiling point is about 174 °C and its melting point is around −30 °C. Its density is roughly 0.73–0.75 g/cm3, and its refractive index is near 1.43.

Chemically, decane belongs to the paraffin (alkane) class and is relatively unreactive under normal conditions. Like other alkanes, it burns to produce carbon dioxide and water and can participate in various high-temperature transformations. The C10H22 formula corresponds to 75 constitutional isomers, including both linear and highly branched structures.

Occurrence and production: Decane occurs in small amounts in crude oil and natural gas condensates. In industry, it is produced during petroleum refining and upgrading processes, and commercial samples typically contain a mixture of straight-chain and branched decane isomers.

Uses: Decane serves as a solvent in chemical processing and laboratory work and as a calibration standard in gas chromatography for hydrocarbon analyses. It is also used as a reference material when evaluating boiling-point distributions and in some fuel-testing applications.

Safety and environment: Decane is flammable and emits vapors that can form explosive mixtures with air. It can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. It is moderately persistent in the environment and degrades slowly through microbial action; spills should be contained to minimize environmental impact.