How many different alkenes can be hydrogenated to form hexane?
1 Answer
Jan 10, 2015
Three different alkenes can be hydrogenated to form hexane.
You want a 6-carbon alkane, so you start with a 6-carbon alkene.
The possibilities are:
hex-1-ene, CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH=CH₂
hex-2-ene, CH₃CH₂CH₂CH=CHCH₃
hex-3-ene, CH₃CH₂CH=CHCH₂CH₃
You can react any of these with hydrogen and a nickel catalyst.
The equations are
CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH=CH₂ + H₂ → CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃
CH₃CH₂CH₂CH=CHCH₃ + H₂ → CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃
CH₃CH₂CH=CHCH₂CH₃ + H₂ → CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃
There are also alkadienes and -trienes, that have more than one double bond. Just one example:
hex-1,3-diene, CH₃CH₂CH=CH₂CH=CH₂
