homocyclononane

Homocyclononane is a saturated alicyclic hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C10H20. It consists of a nine-membered ring of carbon atoms with an additional methylene (-CH2-) group inserted into the ring, effectively making it a ten-membered ring structure where one carbon atom is part of a substituent. More precisely, it can be considered a cyclononane molecule with an inserted methylene group, or a derivative of cyclodecane where two adjacent carbon atoms are linked to form a bridge.

The structure of homocyclononane can be visualized as a cyclodecane ring where two adjacent carbons are connected, forming a bicyclic structure that is essentially a cyclononane ring with a one-carbon bridge. However, the common nomenclature "homocyclononane" suggests a simpler interpretation: a cyclononane ring that has been expanded by the insertion of a single methylene unit, thus forming a larger ring. This nomenclature is somewhat non-standard and can lead to ambiguity. A more systematic nomenclature might describe it as a derivative of a larger ring system.

As a saturated hydrocarbon, homocyclononane is non-polar and is expected to exhibit typical alkane properties, such as low reactivity and solubility in non-polar solvents. Its physical properties, like melting point and boiling point, would depend on its specific stereochemistry and isomeric form. Due to the presence of a medium-sized ring, homocyclononane can exist in various conformations, which can influence its properties and reactivity. It is not a commonly encountered compound in everyday life and is primarily of interest in organic chemistry research for its structural properties and potential as a building block in more complex molecules.