Question bank: Organic Functions: Cyclic Hydrocarbons

Cyclic hydrocarbons are compounds that have one or more closed chains of carbon atoms and can be classified as alicyclic or aromatic. Consider cyclopentane, an alicyclic hydrocarbon with five carbons in a single ring. This compound is known for its stability, resulting from the absence of angle strain. However, when considering a cyclic hydrocarbon with only four carbon atoms in a ring, such as cyclobutane, the situation is different. This is an example of a highly reactive compound due to the presence of pronounced angle strain. Based on this information, answer: 1. Explain what angle strain is and how it affects the reactivity of cyclic hydrocarbons. 2. Compare the thermodynamic stability of cyclopentane with that of cyclopropane, a cyclic hydrocarbon with three carbons in a ring, discussing the structural characteristics that contribute to this stability.

When conducting a series of experiments, a group of scientists synthesized two cyclic hydrocarbons, A and B, both compounds consisting exclusively of carbons and hydrogens. Molecule A had a three-carbon ring, while molecule B had a four-carbon ring. The scientists observed that when exposed to air, the cyclic hydrocarbons reacted differently. While molecule A reacted quickly, molecule B reacted very slowly. Taking into account the properties of cyclic hydrocarbons and the knowledge about the reactivity of three and four-carbon cycles, explain, based on theory, why these two compounds exhibited different behaviors when exposed to oxygen. Additionally, discuss the practical impact of this reactivity difference in the use of these compounds in industrial processes involving the synthesis of organic substances. Suggest a strategy to enhance the reactivity of cyclic hydrocarbon B in order to make it more useful in industrial applications requiring reactive organic compounds.

During an experiment in a chemistry laboratory, a group of high school students is tasked with synthesizing and characterizing an unknown cyclic compound. The compound is a cyclic hydrocarbon with potential biological activity and must be identified based on its molecular formula and chemical properties. While performing the synthesis, the students observe that the compound has no points of unsaturation but exhibits significant reactivity towards addition and substitution reactions, typical characteristics of cyclic hydrocarbons with a smaller ring. Given the molecular formula provided by the instructors (C5H10), what is the structure of the synthesized cyclic compound and what is the IUPAC name of this compound that the students should assign after the synthesis is completed?

Cyclometanes are cyclic hydrocarbons characterized by their instability and high reactivity, due to the angular strain resulting from the three-dimensional arrangement of carbon atoms in the ring, notably when the cycle is composed of three or four carbons. Consider an experiment in which a sample of 1,2-di(chloromethane)cyclopropane is heated in a closed container at 100 °C, leading to the formation of reaction products. Describe what would be the structure of the expected main product in this experiment and identify the types of organic reactions that could occur for its formation, considering the properties of cyclometanes. Additionally, explain what factors contribute to the high reactivity of three and four-membered cyclometanes.

Consider cyclopropane, a cyclic hydrocarbon with only three carbon atoms. This compound is known for its high reactivity due to the bond angle between the carbon atoms, which is approximately 60 degrees. Based on this information and your knowledge of Organic Chemistry, describe the relationship between the structure of cyclopropane and its reactivity, explaining how the bond angle influences the chemical behavior of this hydrocarbon. Then, identify a practical example where this reactivity of cyclopropane could be exploited in an industrial or technological application. Justify your choice based on the specific properties of cyclopropane.