Saturated & unsaturated Compounds
- Saturated compounds have molecules in which all carbon-carbon bonds are single bonds
- Examples of compounds that are saturated are alkanes
- Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH2n+2
Alkanes contain only carbon-carbon single bonds so are saturated
- Unsaturated compounds consist of molecules in which one or more carbon-carbon bonds are not single bonds
- They contain carbon-carbon double bonds (C=C)
- Examples of compounds that are unsaturated are alkenes.
- Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons with the general formula is CnH2n
- The presence of the double bond, C=C, means they can make more bonds with other atoms by opening up the C=C bond and allowing incoming atoms to form another single bond with each carbon atom of the functional group
- Each of these carbon atoms now forms 4 single bonds instead of 1 double and 2 single bonds
Alkenes contain one carbon-carbon double bond so are unsaturated
Examiner Tip
Remember: Saturated compounds have Single bonds only. Unsaturated compounds have doUble bonds
