Simple Alkanes, Alcohols, and Ethers

[Gray Wolf]

I just noticed how easy it is to represent the different alkanes, alcohols, and ethers using a standard keyboard, so as to show how little difference there really is in the alkane solvents, the alcohols, and the ethers.

As you will note, all that it takes to make either an alcohol or an ether from an alkane, is one oxygen atom and the difference between an alcohol and an ether, is where it is placed.

Note also that while butane is the basis for Diethyl Ether, because the butane molecule is split in the middle, it becomes two ethane molecules, separated by the oxygen molecule, hence the Di (2) Ethyl, instead of Butyl Ether.

An isomer, of course is the same molecules arranged differently, so Propanol and Isopropyl alcohol have the chemical same formula, as does Butyl alcohol, and Diethyl ether.

All of the alkanes, alcohols, and ethers starting with H5C12, or Pentane, use the Greek alphabet, but the lower alkane designation predate that naming system, so I use the mnemonic Mary Eats Peanut Butter, to keep track of the order of the first four alkanes and their derivatives.

Mary:

---H
H-C-H = Methane = CH4
---H

---H
H-C-O-H = Methanol =CH4O
---H

Eats:


---H-H
H-C-C- H = Ethane = C2H6
---H-H

---H-H
H-C-C- O-H = Ethanol =C2H6O
---H-H

Peanut:

---H-H-H
H-C-C-C -H = Propane = C3H8
---H-H-H

---H-H-H
H-C-C-C -O-H = Propanol = C3H8O
---H-H-H

---H-H---H
H-C-C---C-H = Isopropyl Alcohol =C3H8O (isomer of propanol)
---H-OH-H

Butter:

--H-H-H-H
H-C-C-C-C-H = Butane = C4H10
--H-H-H-H

---H-H-H-H
H-C-C-C-C-O-H = Butyl Alcohol= C4H10O
---H-H-H-H


---H-H H-H
H-C-C-O-C-C-H = Diethyl ether = C4H10O
---H-H H-H

 

[LouDog420]

Looks like ICs auto formatting makes your type a little off, but definitely still understandable...

Good post, some simple organic chem for IC

 

[Gray Wolf]

Looks like ICs auto formatting makes your type a little off, but definitely still understandable...

Good post, some simple organic chem for IC

Yeah, that was a challenge, but check out my compromise fix........

 

[mofeta]

Good post brother Wolf!

I always feel fellowship with those who share my love of study!

Note also that while butane is the basis for Diethyl Ether, because the butane molecule is split in the middle, it becomes two ethane molecules, separated by the oxygen molecule, hence the Di (2) Ethyl, instead of Butyl Ether.

An isomer, of course is the same molecules arranged differently, so Propanol and Isopropyl alcohol have the chemical same formula, as does Butyl alcohol, and Diethyl ether.

These two observations are a good springboard to introduce the use of semi-structural formulas, denoting the various functional groups and implying bond types and molecule shape. For example, C2H5OH for ethanol to show the hydroxyl group, or the more explicit CH3CH2OH to show the methyl-methylene-hydroxyl structure.

I also noticed a format error in the diagram for diethyl ether. The H molecules on the right side ethyl are not lined up with the C correctly. It should be:

--H-H---H-H
H-C-C-O-C-C-H
--H-H---H-H

They still don't line up right, but it's a little better. The only way I could find that makes it closer is to use dots in conjunction with the dashes:

--.H.H---.H-H
H-C-C-O-C-C-H
--.H.H---.H-H

And for isopropyl alcohol, maybe this arrangement of the hydroxyl:

--H-H-H
H-C-C-C-H
--H-O-H
----H

It would probably be good to point out to people that you put the dashes in just to get the letters to line up right, and that they do not represent bonds. The diagrams look kinda like Lewis diagrams, and people could get confused.





Info:

pneumonic: of the lung, hence pneumonia

mnemonic: memorization device

You know, you are one of the few people on these boards that is comfortable enough with who they are, that I feel I can point something like this out and you won't take it the wrong way. I know you will be glad to have the information, as I would. That makes me like you!

 

[Gray Wolf]

Good post brother Wolf!

I always feel fellowship with those who share my love of study!




These two observations are a good springboard to introduce the use of semi-structural formulas, denoting the various functional groups and implying bond types and molecule shape. For example, C2H5OH for ethanol to show the hydroxyl group, or the more explicit CH3CH2OH to show the methyl-methylene-hydroxyl structure.

I also noticed a format error in the diagram for diethyl ether. The H molecules on the right side ethyl are not lined up with the C correctly. It should be:

--H-H---H-H
H-C-C-O-C-C-H
--H-H---H-H

They still don't line up right, but it's a little better. The only way I could find that makes it closer is to use dots in conjunction with the dashes:

--.H.H---.H-H
H-C-C-O-C-C-H
--.H.H---.H-H

And for isopropyl alcohol, maybe this arrangement of the hydroxyl:

--H-H-H
H-C-C-C-H
--H-O-H
----H

It would probably be good to point out to people that you put the dashes in just to get the letters to line up right, and that they do not represent bonds. The diagrams look kinda like Lewis diagrams, and people could get confused.





Info:

pneumonic: of the lung, hence pneumonia

mnemonic: memorization device

You know, you are one of the few people on these boards that is comfortable enough with who they are, that I feel I can point something like this out and you won't take it the wrong way. I know you will be glad to have the information, as I would. That makes me like you!

All good points! The formatting of this and the other two forums that I tried to post it on, realign the letters to suit themselves, so I had to add dashes to fill some of the spaces to keep them from doing that. I probably should have used periods or some other sign, so that they would not be confused with bonds.

It really looked slick on paper, before the forums realigned it, so any of ya'll can type it out yourself to see it without realignment.

To interpret the proper alignment, invision the simplest of the alkanes, which is methane. Methane has one carbon atom, with each of its four possible bonds tied up with a hydrogen atom. For diagraming purposes, one on each side and one directly above and below.

Ethane with two carbon atoms looks exactly the same, except there are two carbon atoms joined together at one of their bonds, with a hydrogen atom occupying each of their other three possible bonds. The formula for figuring the number of hydrogen atoms a simple alkane will have, is 2 X the number of carbon atoms (top and bottom) + 2 (the ones on the ends of the chain).

You are most certainly right that my brain and fingers were disconnected when I spelled mnemonic incorrectly, thus implying it involved air instead of a memory trick.

 

[eloquentsoution]

still, the information is interesting and understandably presented. great piece graywolf!

 

[ran outta love]

I don't understand this thread at all.

But I still find it funny that one of those poisons is considered a beverage.

 

[Gray Wolf]

I don't understand this thread at all.

But I still find it funny that one of those poisons is considered a beverage.

The way I had to jack my original brain fart around to get by the forum indent logic protocol, I'm not sure I would easily either, but the gist of the thread is the similarity in atomic structure, with the only difference being a single oxygen molecule, at different locations.

Good point about poison, as is pretty much everything at some level! As the adage goes, "The poison is in the dosage."

For instance oxygen will kill humans above about 75% atmosphere, and we all know about limitations with even distilled water ingesting or breathing it.

Ethanol for instance has been shown to reduce the incident of heart disease in moderate dosages, besides being addictive to some and is clearly pernicious when consumed in excess, for more reasons than one.

 

[mrcreosote]

Poison? What poison?

 

[thcrefugee]

While all this information is correct, i want to remind everyone that even those some molecules differ by only a simple oxygen or nitrogen, or even as slightly as the physical organization of the atoms, there can be drastic differences between the two.

not to mention stereochemistry (although i doubt too many people here are doing any sort of organic synthesis.)

also, when counting hydrogens on alkanes, do not forget that N, O and other atoms will affest the number, not to metion protonation state.

Other than these few simple ideas, i have nothing more to contribute to a good thread.

 

[Rakkasan]

.

 

[Gray Wolf]

While all this information is correct, i want to remind everyone that even those some molecules differ by only a simple oxygen or nitrogen, or even as slightly as the physical organization of the atoms, there can be drastic differences between the two.

not to mention stereochemistry (although i doubt too many people here are doing any sort of organic synthesis.)

also, when counting hydrogens on alkanes, do not forget that N, O and other atoms will affest the number, not to metion protonation state.

Other than these few simple ideas, i have nothing more to contribute to a good thread.

Excellent point about only one atom being able to totally change the characteristics of an alkane, but then they are no longer a simple alkane.

Once you move to the alkenes and beyond to isomers, the combinations possible with double bonds is astronomical.

The part that blows me away, is that molecules form is both right hand and left hand configuration, though they are all left handed if made by plants.

The really interesting parts is that the mirror images of the same molecule, have dramatically different properties.

For instance, the turpene molecules from dill and from spearmint are identical in every respect, except one is right handed and the other is left handed.

The alkanes are symmetrical molecules, so there can be no right or left.

 

[mad librettist]

it would be slow going, but if you formatted the dots and dashes to be the same color as the background you could hide them...

 

[Gray Wolf]

Sounds like Meth making 101 to me.....

I can see certain perspectives from which it would seem like Meth making 101. Starting with a joking remark, followed by LEO, followed by someone who knows more about meth making than I do, and at least ending with those whom just really don't understand the difference.

This is a cannabis concentrate forum, and I am offering some of my limited simple organic chemistry insight to the rest of the legal medical patients interested in Cannabis 101 instead of Meth 101.