Analysis of Hydrocarbons

Analysis of Hydrocarbons

Jessa Grace B. Castillo* and Stephanie Chua

Department of Chemistry, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines

______________________________________________

Hydrocarbons are organic compounds containing only hydrogen and carbons and further divided in major types. Hydrocarbons react differently in reagents. The basis of determining an unknown hydrocarbon is due to the differences in reactions of hydrocarbons. An unknown compound is determined using tests. The unknown gives a positive result in nitration test and gives no brown precipitate in oxidation test. The unknown is an aromatic and non-alkylated compound.

_______________________________________________

Introduction:

Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that composed of only hydrogen and carbon. There are two major types of hydrocarbons; aliphatic (saturated and unsaturated) and aromatics.

Aliphatic compounds are characterized by a continuous or branched chain arrangement aliphatic compounds are subdivided into two; saturated and unsaturated. Saturated hydrocarbons are characterized by single bonds between