viisihiilisen

Viisihiilisen is a Finnish term that translates literally to "five-carbon" and is most commonly used in organic chemistry to refer to a five-carbon alkane. The simplest and most common example is pentane. Pentane exists in several isomeric forms, including n-pentane (where the carbon atoms are in a straight chain), isopentane (also known as 2-methylbutane, with a branched chain), and neopentane (also known as 2,2-dimethylpropane, with a highly branched structure).

These five-carbon alkanes are colorless, volatile liquids at room temperature. They are highly flammable and are typically derived from petroleum refining processes. Due to their low polarity, they are insoluble in water but soluble in other nonpolar organic solvents. Their primary uses include being components of gasoline and as solvents in various industrial and laboratory applications. The properties of the different isomers, such as boiling point and flammability, vary slightly due to their different molecular structures. For instance, n-pentane has a boiling point of approximately 36°C, while isopentane boils around 28°C, and neopentane around 9.5°C. The term viisihiilisen itself is generally not used in international scientific literature, where specific isomer names like pentane, isopentane, or neopentane are preferred.