Pentane

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Pentane

Pentane is any or one of the organic compound

Organic compound

An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of compounds such as carbonates, simple oxides of carbon and cyanides, as well as the allotropes of carbon, are considered Inorganic compound....
s with the formula

Chemical formula

A chemical formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound, and how the relationship between those atoms changes in chemical reactions....
C₅H₁₂. This alkane is a component of some fuels and is employed as a specialty solvent

Solvent

A solvent is a liquid or gas that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution.The most common solvent in everyday life is water....
in the laboratory. Its properties are very similar to those of butane

Butane

Butane, also called n-butane, is the unbranched alkane with four carbon atoms, CH3CH2CH2CH3....
and hexane

Hexane

Hexane is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH34CH3 or C6H14. The "hex" prefix refers to its six carbons, while the "ane" ending indicates that its carbons are connected by single bonds....
. It exists in three structural isomers

Structural isomerism

Structural isomerism, or constitutional isomerism, is a form of isomer in which molecules with the same molecular formula have atoms bonded together in different orders, as opposed to stereoisomerism....
, the branched isomers are called isopentane

Isopentane

Isopentane, carbonhydrogen, also called methylbutane or 2-methylbutane, is a branched-chain alkane with five carbon atoms. Isopentane is an extremely Volatility and extremely flammable liquid at room temperature and pressure....
and neopentane

Neopentane

Neopentane, also called dimethylpropane or 2,2-dimethylpropane, is a double-branched-chain alkane with five carbon atoms. Neopentane is an extremely flammable gas at room temperature and pressure which can condense into a highly Volatility liquid on a cold day, in an ice bath, or when compressed to a higher pressure....
.

The branched isomers are more stable.

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Encyclopedia

Pentane is any or one of the organic compound

Organic compound

Chemical formula

Solvent

Butane

Butane, also called n-butane, is the unbranched alkane with four carbon atoms, CH3CH2CH2CH3....
and hexane

Hexane

Structural isomerism

Isopentane

Neopentane

pentane	isopentane	neopentane

The branched isomers are more stable. That is, they have lower heat of formation and heat of combustion

Heat of combustion

The heat of combustion is the energy released as heat when one mol of a compound undergoes complete combustion with oxygen. The chemical reaction is typically a hydrocarbon reacting with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, water and heat....
. Isopentane is more stable than pentane by 1.8 kcal/mol, and neopentane by 5 kcal/mol. Rotation

Rotation

A rotation is a movement of an object in a circular motion. A two-dimensional object rotates around a center of rotation. A Three-dimensional space object rotates around a line called an axis....
about two central single C-C bonds

Chemical bond

A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between atoms and molecules, and that which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic chemical compounds....
produces four different conformations

Conformational isomerism

In chemistry, conformational isomerism is a form of stereoisomerism in which molecules with the same structural formula exist as different conformational isomers or conformers in 3-D due to rotations about one or more sigma bond....
.

Laboratory use

As the most volatile hydrocarbon that is liquid at room temperature, pentane is often used in the laboratory as a solvent

Solvent

A solvent is a liquid or gas that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution.The most common solvent in everyday life is water....
that can be conveniently evaporated. Also because of its nonpolarity and lack of functionality

Functional group

In organic chemistry, functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules....
, its dissolving power is poor, thus only non-polar and alkyl-rich compounds are soluble in it. Pentane is miscible, however, with most common nonpolar solvents such as chlorocarbons, aromatics, and ether

Ether

Ether is a class of organic compounds which contain an ether functional group ? an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups ? of general formula R?O?R....
s.

One of its applications as a laboratory solvent is in liquid chromatography

Chromatography

Chromatography is the collective term for a family of laboratory techniques for the separation of mixtures. It involves passing a mixture dissolved in a "mobile phase" through a stationary phase, which separates the analyte to be measured from other molecules in the mixture and allows it to be isolated....
.

Reactions

Pentane burns to form carbon dioxide and water:

C₅H₁₂ + 8 O₂ ? 5 CO₂ + 6 H₂O

As with other hydrocarbons, pentane undergoes free radical chlorination

Chlorination

Chlorination is the process of adding the element chlorine to water as a method of water purification to make it fit for human consumption as drinking water....
:

C₅H₁₂ + Cl₂ ? C₅H₁₁Cl + HCl

Such reactions are unselective, yielding a mixture of the 1-, 2-, and 3-chloropentanes, as well as more highly chlorinated derivatives. Other radical halogenation

Halogenation

Halogenation is a chemical reaction that incorporates a halogen atom into a molecule. More specific descriptions exist that specify the type of halogen: fluorination, chlorination, bromination, and iodination....
s can also occur.

While n-butane

Butane

Butane, also called n-butane, is the unbranched alkane with four carbon atoms, CH3CH2CH2CH3....
is the conventional feedstock in the production of maleic anhydride

Maleic anhydride

Maleic anhydride is an organic compound with the formula C4H2O3. In its pure state it is a colourless or white solid with an acrid odour....
, pentane is also a substrate:

CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ + 5 O₂ ? C₂H₂(CO)₂O + 5 H₂O + CO₂

Industrial Uses

Pentane is one of the primary blowing agents

Foaming agent

A foaming agent is a surfactant, which when present in small amounts, facilitates the formation of a foam, or enhances its colloid stability by inhibiting the Coalescence of bubbles....
used in the production of polystyrene foam.

Pentane is used as a working medium in geothermal power stations.

Pentane

Laboratory use

Reactions

Industrial Uses

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