ALKANE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does alkane mean? 

• ALKANE (noun)
  The noun ALKANE has 1 sense:

1. a series of non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH(2n+2)

  Familiarity information: ALKANE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALKANE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A series of non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH(2n+2)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

alkane; alkane series; methane series; paraffin; paraffin series

Hypernyms ("alkane" is a kind of...):

aliphatic compound (organic compound that is an alkane or alkene or alkyne or their derivative)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "alkane"):

butane (occurs in natural gas; used in the manufacture of rubber and fuels)

amine; aminoalkane (a compound derived from ammonia by replacing hydrogen atoms by univalent hydrocarbon radicals)

C2H6; ethane (a colorless odorless alkane gas used as fuel)

heptane (a colorless volatile highly flammable liquid obtained from petroleum and used as an anesthetic or a solvent or in determining octane ratings)

hexane (a colorless flammable liquid alkane derived from petroleum and used as a solvent)

methane (a colorless odorless gas used as a fuel)

 Context examples 

A common name for a group of high molecular weight alkane hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2, where n is between 22 and 27.

(Paraffin, NCI Thesaurus)

A low viscosity liquid by-product of the distillation of petroleum consisting of a mixture of alkanes in the C15 to C40 range.

(Light Mineral Oil, NCI Thesaurus)

An organic, branched-chain alkane with five carbon atoms.

(Isopentane, NCI Thesaurus)

A complex mixture of combustion products of diesel fuel including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, volatile hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alkenes, alkanes and nitroarenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other derivates.

(Diesel Exhaust Particulate, NCI Thesaurus)

An ester of alkane sulfonic acid that acts as an alkylating agent.

(Alkylsulfonate Compound, NCI Thesaurus)

Paraffin is also a technical name for an alkane in general, but in most cases it refers specifically to a linear, or normal alkane.

(Paraffin, NCI Thesaurus)