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Alkadienes, Rubber and Vulcanisation

Chemistry Grade 10 Difficulty 2/5

Beginning of the lesson

What are alkadienes?

Alkadienes are hydrocarbons containing two C=C bonds. Open-chain acyclic dienes have the general formula CnH2n−2. Their double bonds may be conjugated (C=C–C=C), isolated (separated by more than one single bond) or cumulated (C=C=C). The arrangement changes bonding and reactivity.

Conjugation

In buta-1,3-diene CH2=CH–CH=CH2, four adjacent p orbitals overlap. Pi electrons are delocalized across four carbon atoms, making the central C–C bond shorter than an ordinary single bond and affecting stability and reaction pathways. Electrophilic addition can give 1,2- and 1,4-addition products depending on conditions.

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