 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| • |
a
carbon atom in a molecule forms
|
|
|
4
bonds to other atoms. In this
|
|
|
|
family
of compounds all bonds are
|
|
|
single
(2 electron) bonds and each
|
|
|
|
carbon
is bonded 4 times to either
|
|
|
other
carbons or to hydrogens.
|
|
|
|
Since
atoms with 4 bonds and no
|
|
|
lone pairs have
a tetrahedral
|
|
|
|
geometry,
each carbon atom in an
|
|
|
alkane
is tetrahedrally substituted.
|
|
|
| • |
The
simplest member of the alkane
|
|
family
has one carbon bonded to
|
|
|
|
four
hydrogens. The name of this
|
|
|
compound
(CH4) is obtained by
|
|
|
putting
together the root name for
|
|
|
one
carbon (meth) and the family
|
|
|
|
name
(-ane) to give methane.
|
|
