Hydrocarbons: types, reactions, uses, impacts

Definition and basic properties of hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons are organic compounds made entirely of carbon and hydrogen. They are typically colorless and hydrophobic, with faint odors, and they occur in many molecular structures and physical states, including gases (e.g., methane, propane), liquids (e.g., hexane, benzene), low-melting solids (e.g., paraffin wax, naphthalene), and polymers (e.g., polyethylene, polystyrene). In the fossil-fuel industry, “hydrocarbon” often refers to naturally occurring petroleum, natural gas, and coal, along with their derivatives and purified forms. Hydrocarbons are central to energy production: combustion of hydrocarbons is a major global energy source, and fossil-fuel burning releases carbon dioxide while methane can be released during natural gas handling and from agriculture. Hydrocarbons are commonly classified by bonding and structure. Saturated hydrocarbons contain only single bonds (alkanes and cycloalkanes), with general formulas such as CnH2n+2 for acyclic alkanes. Unsaturated hydrocarbons contain one or more double or triple bonds: alkenes have double bonds (CnH2n for non-cyclic structures), and alkynes have triple bonds (CnH2n−2). Aromatic hydrocarbons (arenes) contain at least one aromatic ring. Basic properties also include their combustion behavior (producing steam/water, carbon dioxide, and heat when oxygen is available), and their reactivity patterns: saturated hydrocarbons are relatively inert, while unsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons react more readily via processes such as substitution, addition, and polymerization. Industrially, hydrocarbons are processed in refineries, and many are used as fuels or as feedstocks for making chemicals and materials like plastics.

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Saturated hydrocarbons and general formulas

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