What can alkenes be used for?

1 Answer
MeneerNask
Jan 31, 2017

Fot quite a lot of things, because the double bond is reasonably reactive.

Explanation:

It can be broken open in an addition reaction like
#CH_2=CH_2+Cl_2->CHCl-CHCl#

Even water can react (given the right circumstances):
#CH_2=CH_2+H_2O->CH_3-CH_2-OH#
to make commercial ethanol.

The double bond may also be opened and react with another open bond:
#....CH_2=CH_2+CH_2=CH_2+CH_2=CH_2+....#
#-CH_2-CH_2-CH_2-CH_2-CH_2-CH_2-....#
This is called polymerisation, and this how (in this case) you make polythene (from poly-ethene)

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