Why do Alkanes resist Nitration?

Question

Why do Alkanes resist Nitration?

Answer 1

First of all, alkanes generally show relatively low reactivity hence they are sometimes called paraffins meaning, "lacking affinity" [Latin para + affinis]. Their C-H and C-C bonds are relatively stable and cannot be easily broken, they don't have any functional groups to enhance their reactivity and the pKa values of most alkanes are above 60 making them pracitcally inert to most acids and bases. Also, they react only very poorly with ionic or other polar substances. Alkanes though undergo certain chemical reactions easily such as redox reaction, combustion and substitution. As for addition however, they have been shown to interact with and bind to certain metal complexes only.

Technicaly speaking, nitration is basically a chemical process for the introduction of a nitro group into a chemical compound through a chemical process. But I would like to focus more on nitration as a type of an electrophilic substitution reaction to explain why alkanes tend to "resist" nitration. Electrophilic substitution reaction involves an electrophile, an electron loving species [as opposed to a nucleophile]. Such reaction is a charateristic of aromatic compounds which is used for introducing functional groups into the benzene ring. But since we are talking with alkanes here, we focus more on electrophilic aliphatic [non-aromatic compounds] substitution.

In electrophilic aliphatic substitution, the electrophile displaces a fucntional group in the aliphatic compound. Note however that it was earlier mention that alkanes do not posses any functional groups. Also, alkanes only has single bonds hence it does not have any electrons to share with an electrophile. This being the case explains why alkanes tend to resist nitration. Not because they don't want to, but because they are not capable of undergoing such chemical reaction.

Hope this helps. =)

Answer 2

Nitration Of Alkanes

Answer 3

Alkanes resist any sort of addition reaction such as nitration, hydrogenation or chlorination etc... That's because they are saturated molecules meaning that all the carbons are attached to the other carbons by single bonds. so no bonds can be broken to add the nitrogen without breaking the bonds between the C and C completely.
hope i helped
PS i don't think that addition can be done with nitrogen anyway becasue it is trivalent. I think it only works with added elements that are monovalent like Hydrogen or chlorine (or OH groups...) with alkenes or divalent like oxgen (very rare) with alkynes. I'm not sure about that though, so you might want to check it out.

Answer 4

It all started a long time ago when the Nitration's ruled the galaxy and the Alkanes where their slaves. The Nitrations treated their slaves terribly.
Even though the Alkanes are free now...they still remember what it was like to be enslaved by the Nitrations...and therefore they resist them every chance they get.

ok...you caught me...I have no idea. sorry to waste your time.

Answer 5

because you have to have an incentive to get anything to react. the pi bonds in double bonds (etc) provide incentive for reactions to take place

Answer 6

single bonds

double and triples are more reactive- dehydrate first

(It has been 20 years since my organic class, you hurt me)

Answer 7

under what conditions?