Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons with single bonds from "summary" of Organic Chemistry by John E. McMurry
Alkanes are composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms connected by single bonds, making them saturated hydrocarbons. The term "saturated" indicates that each carbon atom in an alkane is bonded to the maximum number of hydrogen atoms possible, resulting in a stable molecular structure. This characteristic distinguishes alkanes from unsaturated hydrocarbons, such as alkenes and alkynes, which contain double or triple bonds between carbon atoms. The single bonds in alkanes provide flexibility in molecular shape, allowing these compounds to adopt various conformations. However, due to the presence of only single bonds, alkanes lack the reactivity associated with multiple bonds. The absence of double or triple bonds in alkanes limits their ability to undergo addition reactions, which are common in unsaturated hydrocarbons. The saturation of alkanes with single bo...
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