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Organic Chemistry

General Preparation of Alkanes

From unsaturated hydrocarbons

Hydrogen gas adds to alkenes and alkynes in the presence of catalysts like platinum, nickel to form alkanes. This process is also called hydrogenation.

  1. From alkyl halides

 

Reduction of Alkyl Halides

 Alkyl halides when reduced with zinc and dilute hydrochloric acid give alkanes.

From Carboxylic acids

Sodium salts of carboxylic acids, when reacted with soda lime (the mixture of NaOH and CaO), produces alkane containing one less number of carbon.