Melting points of Hydrocarbons, Alcohols and Acids
Melting temperature (°C and °F) with carbon number up to C33.
The tables and figures below show how the melting point changes with increasing carbon number up to C33 for different kinds of hydrocarbons, alcohols and carboxylic acids. More detailed definitions and examples of molecular structures of the different classes of organic compounds are given below the figures.
- Melting point - the temperature at which a solid turns into a liquid
- Boiling point - the temperature at which a liquid turns into a gas
For hydrocarbons with the same carbon number the boiling point increases in the following order:
multisubstituted alkane < singelsubstituted alkane < singelsubstituted alkene < normal alkene < normal alkane < alkyl cyclohexane < alkylbenzene < cycloalkene < cycloalkane < 2-, 4- and 3-alkanol / 1-alkylnaphthalene < 1-alkanol < normal alkanoic acid
For melting points, the trends are more varying with increasing carbon number for the different types of hydrocarbons.
See also boiling points of hydrcarbons, alcohols and acids , densities for different kinds of organic compounds and density, boiling and melting points of nitrogen and sulfur compounds.
See also pKa values for phenols, alcohols and carboxylic acids .
For full table - rotate the screen!
| Carbon number | Melting point of hydrocarbons, alcohols and acids, C1-C16, given in °C | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
| Alkylcyclohexane* | -127 | -113 | -95 | -78 | -58 | -48 | -31 | -20 | -10 | -2 | ||||||
| 2,2-dimetylalkane | -17 | -100 | -123 | -121 | -113 | |||||||||||
| 3-methylalkane | -118 | -119 | -121 | -108 | -85 | -80 | -58 | |||||||||
| Alkylbenzene* | 6 | -95 | -95 | -100 | -88 | -75 | -63 | -48 | -36 | -24 | -14 | |||||
| Alkylcyclopentane | -142 | -138 | -117 | -108 | -83 | -73 | -61 | -45 | -29 | -22 | ||||||
| 2-methylalkane | -160 | -160 | -154 | -118 | -110 | -80 | -75 | -49 | -47 | |||||||
| 1-alkene | -169 | -185 | -185 | -165 | -140 | -119 | -102 | -81 | -66 | -49 | -35 | -23 | -13 | -4 |
4 |
|
| 2-methylalkene | -140 | -138 | -136 | -103 | -90 | -78 | -64 | -51 | ||||||||
| N-alkane | -183 | -183 | -188 | -138 | -130 | -95 | -91 | -57 | -53 | -30 | -26 | -10 | ||||
| 1-alkyne | -81 | -103 | -126 | -106 | -132 | -81 | -79 | -50 | -44 | -25 | -19 | 1 | 15 | |||
| 3-alkanol | -70 | -70 | -45 | 22 | -8 | |||||||||||
| Cycloalkene** | -135 | -104 | -55 | |||||||||||||
| 4-alkanol | -41 | -41 | -11 | |||||||||||||
| 2-alkanol | -88 | -88 | -73 | -23 | -32 | -35 | -5 | 0 | 19 | |||||||
| 1-alkanol | -98 | -114 | -124 | -89 | -78 | -46 | -33 | -15 | -5 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 31 | 38 | 44 | |
| Cycloalkane** | -129 | -91 | -94 | 7 | -8 | 15 | 11 | 10 | ||||||||
| Alkanoic acid | 8 | 17 | -21 | -5 | -34 | -4 | -7 | 17 | 12 | 31 | 29 | 44 | 42 | 63 | ||
| 1-alkylnaphthalene | 80 | -31 | -14 | -9 | -20 | -25 | -18 | |||||||||
| Carbon number | Melting point of hydrocarbons, alcohols and acids, C1-C16, given in °F | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |
| Alkylcyclohexane* | -197 | -171 | -139 | -108 | -72 | -54 | -24 | -5 | 14 | 29 | ||||||
| 2,2-dimetylalkane | 2 | -148 | -189 | -186 | -171 | |||||||||||
| 3-methylalkane | -180 | -182 | -186 | -162 | -121 | -112 | -72 | |||||||||
| Alkylbenzene* | 42 | -139 | -139 | -147 | -126 | -103 | -82 | -54 | -33 | -11 | 6 | |||||
| Alkylcyclopentane | -224 | -217 | -179 | -162 | -117 | -99 | -78 | -48 | -20 | -8 | ||||||
| 2-methylalkane | -255 | -256 | -245 | -180 | -166 | -112 | -103 | -56 | -53 | |||||||
| 1-alkene | -273 | -302 | -302 | -265 | -220 | -182 | -151 | -114 | -87 | -56 | -31 | -10 | 9 | 25 | 40 | |
| 2-methylalkene | -221 | -216 | -213 | -153 | -130 | -108 | -83 | -60 | ||||||||
| N-alkane | -297 | -297 | -306 | -217 | -201 | -140 | -131 | -70 | -64 | -21 | -14 | 15 | ||||
| 1-alkyne | -113 | -153 | -194 | -158 | -205 | -114 | -111 | -58 | -47 | -13 | -2 | 34 | 59 | |||
| 3-alkanol | -94 | -94 | -49 | 72 | 19 | |||||||||||
| Cycloalkene** | -211 | -154 | -67 | |||||||||||||
| 4-alkanol | -42 | -41 | 12 | |||||||||||||
| 2-alkanol | -126 | -127 | -99 | -9 | -25 | -31 | 23 | 32 | 66 | |||||||
| 1-alkanol | -144 | -173 | -192 | -127 | -108 | -52 | -28 | 6 | 23 | 45 | 62 | 76 | 88 | 100 | 111 | |
| Cycloalkane** | -199 | -131 | -137 | 44 | 18 | 59 | 51 | 51 | ||||||||
| Alkanoic acid | 47 | 63 | -5 | 23 | -28 | 25 | 19 | 62 | 54 | 89 | 83 | 111 | 107 | 145 | ||
| 1-alkylnaphthalene | 177 | -24 | 7 | 17 | -3 | -12 | 0 | |||||||||
| * C#(N-alkyl)=0-10 | ||||||||||||||||
| ** rings without substituents | ||||||||||||||||
Definitions 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 Cn H2n+2 . Also called paraffin .
Alkene: An unsaturated hydrocarbon that contains at least one carbon–carbon double bond, with the general formula Cn H2n . Also called olefine .
Alkyne : An unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon—carbon triple bond, with the general formula Cn H2n-2 . Also called acetylene .
Cycloalkane: A one-ring (monocyclic) saturated hydrocarbon, with the general formula Cn H2n . Also called naphthene .
Cycloalkene: An alkene hydrocarbon which contains a closed ring of carbon atoms, but has no aromatic character, with the general formula Cn H2n-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 C6 H6.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons : hydrocarbon that are composed of multiple aromatic rings. A two ring aromatic without any substituents is called naphthalene, with the formula C10 H8 .
Some under-groups of hydrocarbons given in this document:
Alkyl: An alkane substituent missing one hydrogen, with general formula Cn H2n+1
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 Cn H(2n+1) C6 H11 .
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 Cn H2n+1 C5 H9 .
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 Cn H(2n+1) C6 H5.
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 Cn H(2n+1) C10 H7 .
Some other groups of organic compounds:
Alcohol: an organic compound in which the hydroxyl functional group (–OH) is bound to a saturated carbon atom
Alkanol: An alcohol where the hydroxyl group is connected to an alkane
Carboxylic acid: an organic compound that contains a carboxyl group (C(=O)OH). The general formula of a carboxylic acid is R–COOH, with R referring to the rest of the molecule.
Alkanoic acid: A carboxylic acid where the R is an alkane.
Related Topics
-
Material Properties
Properties of gases, fluids and solids. Densities, specific heats, viscosities and more. -
Melting and Freezing Points
Melting and freezing points of elements and chemical species at varying conditions.
Related Documents
-
Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids - Physical Data
Molweight, melting and boiling point, density, pKa-values, as well as number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in molecules are given for 150 different alcohols and acids. -
Boiling Fluids - Max Suction Flow Velocities
Recommended max suction flow velocity when pumping boiling fluids. -
Crude Oil - Density vs. Temperature
Variations in crude oil density are shown as function of temperatur, together with volume correction factors. -
Elements - Melting Points
Melting points of elements. -
Elements of the Periodic System
The elements of the periodic system with names, symbols, atomic numbers and weights, melting and boiling points, density, electronegativity and electron affinity, and electron configuration. -
Ethanol - Dynamic and Kinematic Viscosity vs. Temperature and Pressure
Online calculator, figures and tables showing dynamic and kinematic viscosity of ethanol, C2H5OH, at varying temperature and pressure - Imperial and SI Units. -
Ethanol Freeze Protected Water Solutions
Freezing temperature and flash points for ethanol based water solutions or brines. -
Ethylene Glycol Heat-Transfer Fluid Properties
Properties like freezing point, viscosity, specific gravity and specific heat of ethylene glycol based heat-transfer fluids, or brines. -
Glycerine - Boiling and Freezing Points
Boiling and freezing points of glycerine aqueous solutions. -
Hydrocarbons - Physical Data
Molweight, melting and boiling point, density, flash point and autoignition temperature, as well as number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in each molecule for 200 different hydrocarbons. -
Hydrocarbons - Melting Point vs. Molecular Weight
Calculate melting point of hydrocarbons from molecular weight (molar mass). -
Hydrocarbons, Alcohols and Acids - Boiling points
Boiling temperatures (°C and °F) with varying carbon numbers up to C33. -
Hydrocarbons, Linear Alcohols and Acids - Densities
Density of hydrocarbons like alcohols and acids as function of carbon number at 20°C / 68°. -
Inorganic Compounds in Water - Melting and Boiling Temperature, Density and Solubility
Physical constants for more than 280 common inorganic compounds. Density is given for the actual state at 25°C and for liquid phase at melting point temperature. -
Jet Fuel - Density vs. Temperature
Variations in jet fuel density as function of temperatur, together with volume correction factors. -
Liquids - Freezing and Melting Points
Common fluids and their freezing and melting points. -
Liquids and Gases - Boiling Points
Boiling temperatures for common liquids and gases - acetone, butane, propane and more. -
Lubricating Oil - Densities vs. Temperature
Variations in lubricating oil density as function of temperatur, together with volume correction factors. -
Melting and Boiling Temperatures - Evaporation and Melting Heats common Materials
Melting and boiling point temperatures, latent heat of evaporation, and melting heat of common substances like copper, gold, lead and more - SI units. -
Metal Alloys - Melting Points
Alloys and their melting points. -
Metals and Alloys - Melting Temperatures
The melting temperatures for some common metals and alloys. -
Methane - Dynamic and Kinematic Viscosity vs. Temperature and Pressure
Online calculator, figures and tables showing dynamic and kinematic viscosity of methane, CH4, at varying temperature and pressure - Imperial and SI Units. -
Molybdenum Binary Eutectic Alloys - Melting Points
Mo - Molybdenum - binary eutectic alloys and melting points. -
Naming of Organic Compounds
Nomenclature rules for different groups of organic compounds and functional groups, together with examples of use of the rules. -
Organic Nitrogen Compounds - Physical Data
Boiling and melting points of amines, diamines, pyrroles, pyridines, piperidines and quinolines shown together with their molecular structures, as well as molweights and density. -
Organic Sulfur Compounds - Physical Data
Boiling and melting points of thoils, sulfides, disulfides and thiophenes shown together with molecular structures, as well as molweights and density. -
Phenols, Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids - pKa Values
For oxygen containing organic compounds this is given: pKa (the negative logarithm of the acid dissociation constant), molecular structures, molar weights, density and melting and boiling points. -
Propylene Glycol based Heat-Transfer Fluids
Freezing points of propylene glycol based heat-transfer fluids suitable for the food processing industry. -
Refrigerants - Physical Properties
Physical properties of refrigerants - molecular weight, boiling, freezing and critical points.
