Hydrocarbons - Physical Data

Below the table, examples of molecule structures for the different classes of hydrocarbons are given, together with a definition of the different classes of hydrocarbons.

For figures showing trends for the different classes with increasing chain lengths, as well as molecular structures, see also

• Density of hydrocarbons and linear alcohols and acids
• Boiling points of hydrocarbons, alcohols and acids
• Melting points of hydrocarbons, alcohols and acids
• Autoignition temperature and flash point of different hydrocarbons

For full table with molweight, melting and boiling temperature, density, flash point and ignition temperature - rotate the screen!

Hydrocarbons  - Physical Data

Class of hydrocarbon	IUPAC name	Common name	#C	#H	Molweight g/mol	Melting point °C	Boiling point °C	Density@20°C* g/ml	Flash point °C	Autoignition temp °C
N-alkane	Methane		1	4	16.04	-183	-162	-	-135	595
N-alkane	Ethane		2	6	30.07	-183	-89	-	-135	515
N-alkane	Propane		3	8	44.09	-188	-42	0.498	-104	470
N-alkane	N-butane	Butane	4	10	58.12	-138	-1	0.577	-60	365
N-alkane	N-pentane	Pentane	5	12	72.15	-130	36	0.630	-49	260
N-alkane	N-hexane	Hexane	6	14	86.17	-95	69	0.664	<-20	230
N-alkane	N-heptane	Heptane	7	16	100.20	-91	98	0.683	-7	220
N-alkane	N-octane	Octane	8	18	114.22	-57	126	0.702	12	205
N-alkane	N-nonane	Nonane	9	20	128.25	-53	151	0.719	31	205
N-alkane	N-decane	Decane	10	22	142.28	-30	174	0.730	46	200
N-alkane	N-undecane		11	24	156.30	-26	196	0.740	61	195
N-alkane	N-dodecane		12	26	170.33	-10	216	0.750	80	200
N-alkane	N-tridecane		13	28	184.35	-5	235	0.756
N-alkane	N-tetradecane		14	30	198.38	6	254	0.760
N-alkane	N-pentadecane		15	32	212.41	15	270	0.769
N-alkane	N-hexadecane		16	34	226.43	18	287	0.773
N-alkane	N-heptadecane		17	36	240.46	22	303	0.778
N-alkane	N-octadecane		18	38	254.48	28	316	0.77728
N-alkane	N-nonadecane		19	40	268.51	32	330	0.785
N-alkane	N-eicosane		20	42	282.54	37	344	0.789	187
N-alkane	N-heneicosane		21	44	296.56	40	359	0.792
N-alkane	N-docosane		22	46	310.59	44	369	0.794	211
N-alkane	N-tricosane		23	48	324.61	47	381	0.77948
N-alkane	N-tetracosane		24	50	338.64	50	391	0.799
N-alkane	N-pentacosane		25	52	352.67	53	402	0.801
N-alkane	N-hexacosane		26	54	366.69	56	415	0.77860
N-alkane	N-heptacosane		27	56	380.72	59	422	0.78060	269
N-alkane	N-octacosane		28	58	394.74	61	435	0.806
N-alkane	N-nonacosane		29	60	408.77	64	443	0.808
N-alkane	N-triacontane		30	62	422.80	66	451	0.810
N-alkane	N-hentriacontane	Untriacontane	31	64	436.82	68	458	0.78168
N-alkane	N-dotriacontane		32	66	450.85	70	470	0.812
N-alkane	N-tritriacontane		33	68	464.87	71
N-alkane	N-pentatriacontane		35	72	492.93	74	489	0.816
N-alkane	N-tetracontane		40	82	563.06	81	522	0.81725
N-alkane	N-pentacontane		50	102	703.32	92	575
N-alkane	N-hexacontane		60	122	843.58	100	625
N-alkane	N-heptacontane		70	142	983.84	106	647
N-alkane	N-octacontane		80	162	1124.1	112	672
N-alkane	N-nonacontane		90	182	1264.4		~700
N-alkane	N-hectane		100	202	1404.6	115	~720
2-methylalkane	2-methylpropane	iso-butane	4	10	58.12	-160	-12	0.555	-83	460
2-methylalkane	2-methylbutane	Iso-pentane	5	12	72.15	-160	28	0.620	-51	420
2-methylalkane	2-methylpentane	iso-hexane, i-caproylhydride	6	14	86.17	-154	60	0.653	<-7	300
2-methylalkane	2-methylhexane		7	16	100.20	-118	90	0.679	-10	280
2-methylalkane	2-methylheptane		8	18	114.22	-110	117	0.698	6
2-methylalkane	2-methyloctane	isononane, dimethylheptane	9	20	128.25	-80	143	0.714	26
2-methylalkane	2-methylnonane	iso-decane	10	22	142.28	-75	167	0.728	46
2-methylalkane	2-methyldecane		11	24	156.30	-49	189	0.737	50
2-methylalkane	2-methylundecane		12	26	170.33	-47	211	0.740	42
3-methylalkane	3-methylpentane	Diethylmethylmethane	6	14	86.17	-118	63	0.660	<-20	300
3-methylalkane	3-methylhexane		7	16	100.20	-119	92	0.687	-11	280
3-methylalkane	3-methylheptane		8	18	114.22	-121	120	0.705	6	410
3-methylalkane	3-methyloctane		9	20	128.25	-108	144	0.720
3-methylalkane	3-methylnonane		10	22	142.28	-85	168	0.735
3-methylalkane	3-methyldecane		11	24	156.30	-80	192	0.742
3-methylalkane	3-methylundecane		12	26	170.33	-58	212	0.749
2,2-dimetylalkane	2,2-dimethylpropane	Neo-pentane, trimethylethane	5	12	72.15	-17	10	0.590	-19	450
2,2-dimetylalkane	2,2-dimethylbutane	Neohexane	6	14	86.17	-100	50	0.649	-48	435
2,2-dimetylalkane	2,2-dimethylpentane		7	16	100.20	-123	79	0.674	-21	320
2,2-dimetylalkane	2,2-dimethylhexane		8	18	114.22	-121	106	0.691	-3
2,2-dimetylalkane	2,2-dimethylheptane		9	20	128.25	-113	133	0.711
2,2-dimetylalkane	2,2-dimethyloctane		10	22	142.28		154	0.724
Trimetylalkane	2,2,4-Trimetylpentane	Iso-octane	8	18	114.22	-107	99	0.690		396
1-alkene	Ethene	Ethylene	2	4	28.05	-169	-104	-		440
1-alkene	Propene	Propylene	3	6	42.08	-185	-48	0.510	-108	485
1-alkene	But-1-ene	1-butene, 1-butylene, Ethylethylene	4	8	56.10	-185	-6	0.593	-80	360
1-alkene	1-pentene	n-amylene, propylethylene	5	10	70.13	-165	30	0.641	-51	280
1-alkene	1-hexene		6	12	84.16	-140	64	0.673	-26	255
1-alkene	1-heptene	1-heptylene	7	14	98.18	-119	94	0.697	-8	250
1-alkene	1-octene	1-caprylene	8	16	112.21	-102	121	0.715	10	240
1-alkene	1-nonene		9	18	126.23	-81	147	0.733	26
1-alkene	1-decene		10	20	140.26	-66	172	0.741	44	230
1-alkene	1-undecene		11	22	154.29	-49	193	0.751	63
1-alkene	1-dodecene		12	24	168.31	-35	213	0.758	76	225
1-alkene	1-tridecene		13	26	182.34	-23	233	0.766
1-alkene	1-tetradecene		14	28	196.36	-13	251	0.778
1-alkene	1-pentadecene		15	30	210.39	-4	268	0.776
1-alkene	1-hexadecene		16	32	224.42	4	285	0.781
1-alkene	1-heptadecene		17	34	238.44	11	301	0.785
1-alkene	1-octadecene		18	36	252.47	18	316	0.789
1-alkene	1-nonadecene		19	38	266.49	23	331	0.78925
1-alkene	1-docosene		22	44	308.57	38	367	0.79425
2-methylalkene	2-methyl-1-propene	Isobutene, Isobutylene	4	8	56.10	-140	-7	0.594	-80	465
2-methylalkene	2-methyl-1-butene		5	10	70.13	-138	31	0.650	-37
2-methylalkene	2-methyl-1-pentene	1-methyl-1-propylethylene	6	12	84.16	-136	62	0.680	-26	300
2-methylalkene	2-methyl-1-hexene		7	14	98.18	-103	92	0.700	-6
2-methylalkene	2-methyl-1-heptene		8	16	112.21	-90	118	0.722	14
2-methylalkene	2-methyl-1-octene		9	18	126.23	-78	145	0.734	31
2-methylalkene	2-methyl-1-nonene		10	20	140.26	-64	167	0.744
2-methylalkene	2-methyl-1-decene		11	22	154.29	-51
1-alkyne	Ethyne	Acetylene	2	2	26.04	-81	Sub -84	-		305
1-alkyne	Propyne		3	4	40.06	-103	-23	-		340
1-alkyne	1-butyne	Ethylacetylene	4	6	54.09	-126	8	0.6830	<-14
1-alkyne	1-pentyne	Propylacetylene	5	8	68.11	-106	40	0.690	<-20
1-alkyne	1-hexyne		6	10	82.14	-132	71	0.719	-20	263
1-alkyne	1-heptyne		7	12	96.17	-81	100	0.7333	-2	245
1-alkyne	1-octyne	Hexylacetylene	8	14	110.19	-79	126	0.746
1-alkyne	1-nonyne	Heptylacetylene	9	16	124.22	-50	151	0.766
1-alkyne	1-decyne	Octylacetylene	10	18	138.24	-44	174	0.765
1-alkyne	1-undecyne	Nonylacetylene	11	20	152.27	-25	196	0.773
1-alkyne	1-dodecyne	Decylacetylene	12	22	166.30	-19	215	0.779
1-alkyne	1-tridecyne		13	24	180.32	1	234	0.784
1-alkyne	1-tetradecyne		14	26	194.35		252	0.790
1-alkyne	1-pentadecyne		15	28	208.37			0.794
1-alkyne	1-hexadecyne		16	30	222.40	15	284	0.796
2-alkyne	2-butyne	Crotonylene	4	6	54.09	-32	27	0.691	-25
2-alkyne	2-pentyne	Ethylmethylacetylene	5	8	68.11	-109	56	0.709
2-alkyne	2-hexyne		6	10	82.14
Cycloalkane	Cyclopropane	Trimethylene	3	6	42.08	-129	-33	-		495
Cycloalkane	Cyclobutane		4	8	56.10	-91	13	0.7040	<10
Cycloalkane	Cyclopentane		5	10	70.13	-94	49	0.746	-51	320
Cycloalkane	Cyclohexane	Hexamethylene, hexanaphthene	6	12	84.16	7	81	0.777	-18	260
Cycloalkane	Cycloheptane		7	14	98.18	-8	119	0.810	6
Cycloalkane	Cyclooctane		8	16	112.21	15	151	0.831	28	250
Cycloalkane	Cyclononane		9	18	126.23	11	173	0.849
Cycloalkane	Cyclodecane		10	20	140.26	10	202	0.857	65
Cycloalkene	Cyclopropene		3	4	40.06	-	-36	-
Cycloalkene	Cyclobutene		4	6	54.09	-	2	0.7170
Cycloalkene	Cyclopentene		5	8	68.11	-135	44	0.772	-29	309
Cycloalkene	Cyclohexene		6	10	82.14	-104	83	0.811	-17	265
Cycloalkene	Cycloheptene		7	12	96.17	-55	115	0.823
Cycloalkene	Cyclooctene	cis-cyclooctene	8	14	110.19	-13	145	0.848
Alkylcyclopentane	Methylcyclopentane		6	12	84.16	-142	72	0.749	<-10	315
Alkylcyclopentane	Ethylcyclopentane		7	14	98.18	-138	104	0.767
Alkylcyclopentane	propylcyclopentane		8	16	112.21	-117	131	0.776
Alkylcyclopentane	butylcyclopentane		9	18	126.23	-108	156	0.785
Alkylcyclopentane	pentylcyclopentane		10	20	140.26	-83	180	0.791
Alkylcyclopentane	hexylcyclopentane		11	22	154.29	-73	206	0.797
Alkylcyclopentane	heptylcyclopentane		12	24	168.31	-61	224	0.801
Alkylcyclopentane	octylcyclopentane		13	26	182.34	-45	242	0.805
Alkylcyclopentane	nonylcyclopentane		14	28	196.36	-29	262	0.808
Alkylcyclopentane	decylcyclopentane		15	30	210.39	-22	279	0.811
Alkylcyclohexane	Methylcyclohexane	Heptanaphthene	7	14	98.18	-127	101	0.770	-4	260
Alkylcyclohexane	Ethylcyclohexane		8	16	112.21	-113	132	0.788		0
Alkylcyclohexane	Propylcyclohexane		9	18	126.23	-95	156	0.794	35	248
Alkylcyclohexane	butylcyclohexane		10	20	140.26	-75	181	0.790	41	0
Alkylcyclohexane	pentylcyclohexane		11	22	154.29	-58	204	0.804		0
Alkylcyclohexane	hexylcyclohexane		12	24	168.31	-48	225	0.808
Alkylcyclohexane	heptylcyclohexane		13	26	182.34	-40	244	0.811
Alkylcyclohexane	octylcyclohexane		14	28	196.36	-20	263	0.814
Alkylcyclohexane	nonylcyclohexane		15	30	210.39	-10	281	0.816
Alkylcyclohexane	decylcyclohexane		16	32	224.42	-2	298	0.819
Alkylcyclohexane	dodecylcyclohexane		18	36	252.47	13	331	0.822
Alkylcyclohexane	tetradecylcyclohexane		20	38	278.50	24	358	0.825
Alkylcyclohexane	pentadecylcyclohexane		21	42	294.55	25	371	0.827
Alkylcyclohexane	octadecylcyclohexane		24	48	336.62	42	409	0.830
Dicycloalkane	trans-Decahydronaphthalene	trans-Decalin	10	18	138.25	-30	187	0.866		250
Dicycloalkane	cis-Decahydronaphthalene	cis-Decalin	10	18	138.25	-43	196	0.897		250
Alkylbenzene	Benzene	Benzol	6	6	78.11	6	80	0.880	-11	555
Alkylbenzene	Methylbenzene	Toluene, toluol	7	8	92.13	-95	111	0.866	6	535
Alkylbenzene	Ethylbenzene	Phenylethane	8	10	106.16	-95	136	0.866
Alkylbenzene	1,2-Dimethylbenzene	orto-xylene	8	10	106.16	-24	144	0.88	32	463
Alkylbenzene	1,3-Dimethylbenzene	meta-xylene	8	10	106.16	-48	139	0.86	27	527
Alkylbenzene	1,4-Dimethylbenzene	para-xylene	8	10	106.16	13	138	0.861	27	528
Alkylbenzene	Propylbenzene		9	12	120.19	-100	159	0.863	39	450
Alkylbenzene	Butylbenzene		10	14	134.21	-88	183	0.860	58	410
Alkylbenzene	Pentylbenzene	Phenylpentane, amylbenzene	11	16	148.24	-75	205	0.859	66
Alkylbenzene	Hexylbenzene	Mellitene	12	18	162.26	-63	226	0.858
Alkylbenzene	Heptylbenzene		13	20	176.29	-48	242	0.857
Alkylbenzene	Octylbenzene		14	22	190.32	-36	263	0.856
Alkylbenzene	Nonylbenzene		15	24	204.34	-24	280	0.858
Alkylbenzene	Decylbenzene		16	26	218.37	-14	298	0.855
Alkylbenzene	Dodecylbenzene		18	30	246.42	3	329	0.855
Alkylbenzene	Tetradecylbenzene		20	34	274.47	16	347	0.855
Alkylbenzene	Pentadecylbenzene		21	36	288.50	22	373	0.855
Alkylbenzene	Hexadecylbenzene		22	38	302.52	27	385	0.855
Alkylbenzene	Heptadecylbenzene		23	40	316.55	32	395	0.855
Alkylbenzene	Octadecylbenzene		24	42	330.58	35	400	0.8536
Alkylbenzene	Nonadecylbenzene		25	44	344.60	40	419	0.855
Tetrahydro-nahphthalene	1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalene		10	12	132.20	-35	207	0.973		384
Tetrahydro-nahphthalene	1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-methyl-naphthalene		11	14	146.23		221	0.9583
Tetrahydro-nahphthalene	1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5-methyl-naphthalene		11	14	146.23	-23	234	0.9720
Tetrahydro-nahphthalene	1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-methyl-naphthalene		11	14	146.23	-40	229	0.9537
Tetrahydro-nahphthalene	1-Hexyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-naphthalene		16	24	216.36		305	0.918	146
Diaromatics	Naphthalene		10	8	128.16	80	218	1.025	80	540
Diaromatics	1-methylnaphthalene		11	10	142.19	-31	240	1.020	94	485
Diaromatics	1-ethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	-14	258	1.008
Diaromatics	1-propylnaphthalene		13	14	170.24	-9	273	0.990
Diaromatics	1-butylnaphthalene		14	16	184.27	-20	288	0.974
Diaromatics	1-pentylnaphthalene		15	18	198.29	-25	305	0.966
Diaromatics	1-hexylnaphthalene		16	20	212.32	-18	322	0.957
Diaromatics	1-nonylnaphthalene		19	26	254.40	8	366	0.937
Diaromatics	1-decylnaphthalene		20	28	268.42	15	379	0.932
Diaromatics	2-methylnaphthalene		11	10	142.19	35	241	1.006	98	488
Diaromatics	2-ethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	-7	259	0.992
Diaromatics	1,2-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	-3	267	1.018
Diaromatics	1,3-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	-6	265	1.014
Diaromatics	1,4-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	8	264	1.017
Diaromatics	1,5-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	82	267	-
Diaromatics	1,6-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	-16	263	1.002
Diaromatics	1,7-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	-14	263	1.012
Diaromatics	1,8-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	63	276	1.003
Diaromatics	2.3-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	104	267	1.003
Diaromatics	2,6-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	110	253	1.003
Diaromatics	2.7-dimethylnaphthalene		12	12	156.22	96	262	1.003
Triaromatics	Phenanthrene		14	10	178.22	99	338	1.18	171	>450
Triaromatics	Anthracene		14	10	178.22	216	341	1.2825
Triaromatics	1-methylanthracene		15	12	192.25	86	342	1.04799
Triaromatics	2-methylanthracene		15	12	192.25	209	340	1.80
Triaromatics	9-methylanthracene		15	12	192.25	82	~340	1.06599
Tetraaromatics	Benzophenanthrene		18	12	228.28	256	448	1.274
Tetraaromatics	Chrysene	1,2-Benzophenanthrene	18	12	228.28	255	448	1.274
Tetraaromatics	Triphenylene	IsoChrysene, 1,2,3,4-Dibenzonaphthalene	18	12	228.28	196	438	1.302
Tetraaromatics	Pyrene	Benzo(def)phenanthrene	18	12	228.28	156	404	1.21	200
* Note that some of the substances have a melting point above 20°C, and that the given densities then are given for solid state. Superscript notations give measurement temperature(in °C) different from 20°C.

Definition of organic compounds

Hydrocarbon: An organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.

Main groups of hydrocarbons:

Alkane: An acyclic saturated hydrocarbon, with the general formula CnH2n+2. Also called paraffin.

Alkene: An unsaturated hydrocarbon that contains at least one carbon–carbon double bond, with the general formula CnH2n. Also called olefin.

Alkyne: An unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon—carbon triple bond, with the general formula CnH2n-2. Also called acetylenes.

Cycloalkane: A one-ring (monocyclic) saturated hydrocarbon, with the general formula CnH2n. Also called naphthene.

Cycloalkene: An alkene hydrocarbon which contains a closed ring of carbon atoms, but has no aromatic character, with the general formula CnH2n-2. Also called cycloolefin.

Aromatic hydrocarbon: A cyclic (ring-shaped), planar (flat) molecule with a ring of resonance bonds that exhibits more stability than other geometric or connective arrangements with the same set of atoms. The simplest of the aromatics have 6 carbon atoms and contains 3 double bounds.  A one ring aromatic without any substituents is called benzene, with the formula C6H6.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: hydrocarbon that are composed of multiple aromatic rings. A two ring aromatic without any substituents is called naphthalene, with the formula C10H8.

Some under-groups of hydrocarbons given in this document:

Alkyl: An alkyl group is an alkane substituent missing one hydrogen, with general formula CnH2n+1

Phenyl: An phenyl group is a benzene substituent missing one hydrogen, with general formula C6H5.

2-Methylalkane: A branched alkane, with a methyl group connected to the second carbon atom in the main carbon chain.

3-Methylalkane: A branched alkane, with a methyl group connected to the third carbon atom in the main carbon chain.

2-Methylalkene: A branched alkene, with a methyl group connected to the second carbon atom in the main carbon chain.

Alkylcycklohexane: A monosubstituted cyclohexane with one branching via the attachment of one alkyl group on one carbon of the cyclohexane ring, with the general formula CnH(2n+1)C6H11.

Alkylcycklopentane: A monosubstituted cyclopentane with one branching via the attachment of one alkyl group on one carbon of the cyclohexane ring, with the general formula CnH(2n+1)C5H9.

Alkylbenzene: A monosubstituted benzene with one branching via the attachment of one alkyl group on one carbon of the benzene ring, with the general formula CnH(2n+1)C6H5.

1-alkylnaphthalene: A monosubstituted naphthalene with one branching via the attachment of one alkyl group on one carbon of one of the aromatic rings, with the general formula CnH(2n+1)C10H7.