Ethane
IUPAC name	Ethane
Other names	dimethyl; ethyl hydride; methylmethane
Identifiers
CAS number	[74-84-0]
RTECS number	KH3800000
SMILES	CC
Properties
Molecular formula	C2H6
Molar mass	30. IUPAC Nomenclature is a system of naming Chemical compounds and of describing the science of Chemistry in general CAS registry numbers are unique numerical identifiers for Chemical compounds Polymers biological sequences mixtures and Alloys They are also referred to Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances ( RTECS) is a Database of Toxicity information compiled from the open scientific literature without reference 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 Molar mass, symbol M, is the Mass of one mole of a substance ( Chemical element or Chemical compound) 07 g/mol
Appearance	colourless gas
Density	1. The density of a material is defined as its Mass per unit Volume: \rho = \frac{m}{V} Different materials usually have different 212 kg/m³, gas
Melting point	-182. The melting point of a solid is the temperature range at which it changes state from solid to Liquid. 76 °C (90. 34 K)
Boiling point	-88. The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which the Vapor pressure of the liquid equals the environmental pressure surrounding the liquid 6 °C (184. 5 K)
Solubility in water	4. Solubility is the characteristic Physical property referring to the ability of a given substance the Solute, to dissolve in a Solvent. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. 7 g/100 ml (? °C)
Acidity (pKa)	50
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS
EU classification	Highly flammable (F+)
NFPA 704	4 1 0
R-phrases	R12
S-phrases	(S2), S9, S16, S33
Flash point	-135 °C
Related compounds
Related alkanes	Methane; propane
Supplementary data page
Structure and properties	n, εr, etc. A material safety data sheet ( MSDS) is a form containing data regarding the properties of a particular substance This page provides supplementary chemical data on Ethane Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of laws regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification packaging and labelling Symbolism The four divisions are typically color-coded with blue indicating level of Health Hazard, red indicating R-phrases (short for Risk Phrases) are defined in Annex III of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Nature of special risks attributed to dangerous R-phrases (short for Risk Phrases) are defined in Annex III of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Nature of special risks attributed to dangerous S-phrases are defined in Annex IV of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Safety advice concerning dangerous substances and preparations. S-phrases are defined in Annex IV of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Safety advice concerning dangerous substances and preparations. S-phrases are defined in Annex IV of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Safety advice concerning dangerous substances and preparations. S-phrases are defined in Annex IV of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Safety advice concerning dangerous substances and preparations. S-phrases are defined in Annex IV of European Union Directive 67/548/EEC: Safety advice concerning dangerous substances and preparations. The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest Temperature at which it can form an ignitable mixture in air Alkanes, also known as Paraffins are Chemical compounds that consist only of the elements Carbon (C and Hydrogen (H (i Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. Propane is a three- Carbon Alkane, normally a gas but compressible to a liquid that is transportable This page provides supplementary chemical data on Ethane This page provides supplementary chemical data on Ethane The refractive index (or index of Refraction) of a medium is a measure for how much the speed of light (or other waves such as sound waves is reduced inside the medium Measurement The relative static permittivity εr can be measured for static Electric fields as follows first the Capacitance of a test
Thermodynamic data	Phase behaviour Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data	UV, IR, NMR, MS
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Ethane is a chemical compound with chemical formula C₂H₆. This page provides supplementary chemical data on Ethane This page provides supplementary chemical data on Ethane Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy or ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry ( UV/ VIS) involves the Spectroscopy of Photons in the UV-visible Infrared spectroscopy (IR spectroscopy is the subset of Spectroscopy that deals with the Infrared region of the Electromagnetic spectrum. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, most commonly known as NMR spectroscopy, is the name given to a technique which exploits the magnetic properties of certain nuclei Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that identifies the chemical composition of a compound or sample based on the Mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles In Chemistry, the standard state of a material is its state at 1 bar (100 Kilopascals exactly A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed proportion by Mass. 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 It is the only two-carbon alkane, that is, an aliphatic hydrocarbon. Alkanes, also known as Paraffins are Chemical compounds that consist only of the elements Carbon (C and Hydrogen (H (i In Organic chemistry, compounds composed of Carbon and Hydrogen are divided into two classes Aromatic compounds which contain Benzene rings In Organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an Organic compound consisting entirely of Hydrogen and Carbon. At standard temperature and pressure, ethane is a colorless, odorless gas. In Physical sciences standard conditions for temperature and pressure are Standard sets of conditions for experimental measurements to allow comparisons to be made This page is about the physical properties of gas as a state of matter

Ethane is isolated on an industrial scale from natural gas, and as a byproduct of petroleum refining. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, An oil refinery is an industrial Process plant where Crude oil is processed and refined into more useful Petroleum products, such as Gasoline Its chief use is as petrochemical feedstock for ethylene production. Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of Petroleum or other Hydrocarbon origin Structure This Hydrocarbon has four Hydrogen Atoms bound to a pair of Carbon atoms that are connected by a Double bond.

History

Ethane was first prepared synthetically in 1834 by Michael Faraday, applying electrolysis of a potassium acetate solution. Michael Faraday, FRS ( September 22 1791 – August 25 1867) was an English In chemistry and manufacturing electrolysis is a method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an Electric current Potassium acetate ( C[[Hydrogen H3]] C[[Oxygen O]] O[[Potassium K]] is a Chemical compound. He mistook the hydrocarbon product of this reaction for methane, and did not investigate it further. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. During the period 1847–1849, in an effort to vindicate the radical theory of organic chemistry, Hermann Kolbe and Edward Frankland produced ethane by the reductions of propionitrile (ethyl cyanide) and ethyl iodide with potassium metal, and, as did Faraday, by the electrolysis of aqueous acetates. Organic chemistry is a discipline within Chemistry which involves the scientific study of the structure properties composition reactions, and preparation Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe ( September 27, 1818 &ndash November 25, 1884) was a German Chemist. Sir Edward Frankland, KCB, FRS ( January 18, 1825 &ndash August 9, 1899) was a Chemist, one of the foremost Propionitrile, or ethyl cyanide, is a low-molecular weight Nitrile with the molecular formula C2H5CN Ethyl iodide (also iodoethane) is a Colorless, Flammable Chemical compound. Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 They, however, mistook the product of these reactions for methyl radical, rather than the dimer of methyl, ethane. In Chemistry, a methyl group is a Hydrophobic Alkyl Functional group named after Methane (4 A dimer is a Chemical or Biological entity consisting of two subunits called Monomers which are held together by either Intramolecular forces This error was corrected in 1864 by Carl Schorlemmer, who showed that the product of all these reactions was in fact ethane. Carl Schorlemmer FRS ( 30 September, 1834 – 27 June, 1892) was a German chemist who did research on hydrocarbons and contributed

Its name was made from the name of ether, which at first meant diethyl ether. Ether is a class of Organic compounds which contain an ether group — an Oxygen Atom connected to two (substituted Alkyl Diethyl ether, also known as ether and ethoxyethane, is a clear colorless and highly Flammable liquid with a low Boiling point and a

Chemistry

In the laboratory, ethane may be conveniently prepared by Kolbe electrolysis. Kolbe electolysis or Kolbe reaction is an Organic reaction named after Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe. In this technique, an aqueous solution of an acetate salt is electrolysed. An acetate, or ethanoate, is either a salt or Ester of Acetic acid. In chemistry and manufacturing electrolysis is a method of separating chemically bonded elements and compounds by passing an Electric current At the anode, acetate is oxidized to produce carbon dioxide and methyl radicals, and the highly reactive methyl radicals combine to produce ethane:

CH₃COO⁻ → CH₃• + CO₂ + e⁻

CH₃• + •CH₃ → C₂H₆

Another method, the oxidation of acetic anhydride by peroxides, is conceptually similar. An anode is an Electrode through which Electric current flows into a polarized electrical device Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single In Chemistry, a methyl group is a Hydrophobic Alkyl Functional group named after Methane (4 An acetate, or ethanoate, is either a salt or Ester of Acetic acid. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single The electron is a fundamental Subatomic particle that was identified and assigned the negative charge in 1897 by J Acetic anhydride is the Chemical compound with the formula (CH3CO2O A peroxide is a compound containing an Oxygen -oxygen single bond.

The chemistry of ethane also involves chiefly free radical reactions. A free radical reaction is any Chemical reaction involving Free radicals This reaction type is abundant in Organic reactions Two pioneering studies Ethane can react with the halogens, especially chlorine and bromine, by free radical halogenation. Abundance Owing to their high Reactivity, the halogens are found in the environment only in compounds or as Ions Halide ions and oxoanions Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and In Organic chemistry, free radical halogenation is a type of Halogenation. This reaction proceeds through the propagation of the ethyl radical:

C₂H₅• + Cl₂ → C₂H₅Cl + Cl•

Cl• + C₂H₆ → C₂H₅• + HCl

Because halogenated ethanes can undergo further free radical halogenation, this process results in a mixture of several halogenated products. Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and Chloroethane or monochloroethane, commonly known by its old name ethyl chloride, is a Chemical compound once widely used in producing Tetra-ethyl lead Hydrochloric acid is the Solution of Hydrogen chloride ( H[[Chlorine Cl]] in water In the chemical industry, more selective chemical reactions are used for the production of any particular two-carbon halocarbon.

Combustion

The complete combustion of ethane releases 1561 kJ/mol, or 51. Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of Exothermic chemical reactions between a Fuel and an Oxidant accompanied by the production of 9 kJ/g, of heat, and produces carbon dioxide and water according to the chemical equation

2 C₂H₆ + 7 O₂ → 4 CO₂ + 6 H₂O + 3122 kJ/mol

Combustion occurs by a complex series of free-radical reactions. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a Chemical reaction. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Computer simulations of the chemical kinetics of ethane combustion have included hundreds of reactions. A computer simulation, a computer model or a computational model is a Computer program, or network of computers that attempts to simulate an Chemical kinetics, also known as reaction kinetics is the study of rates of chemical processes An important series of reaction in ethane combustion is the combination of an ethyl radical with oxygen, and the subsequent breakup of the resulting peroxide into ethoxy and hydroxyl radicals. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the A peroxide is a compound containing an Oxygen -oxygen single bond.

C₂H₅• + O₂ → C₂H₅OO•

C₂H₅OO• + HR → C₂H₅OOH + •R

C₂H₅OOH → C₂H₅O• + •OH

The principal carbon-containing products of incomplete ethane combustion are single-carbon compounds such as carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the In Chemistry, radicals (often referred to as free radicals) are atoms molecules or ions with Unpaired electrons on an otherwise Open shell Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO is a colorless odorless tasteless yet highly toxic Gas. Formaldehyde is a Chemical compound with the formula H2CO It is the simplest Aldehyde —an organic compound containing a terminal Carbonyl One important route by which the carbon-carbon bond in ethane is broken to yield these single-carbon products is the decomposition of the ethoxy radical into a methyl radical and formaldehyde, which can in turn undergo further oxidation. In Chemistry, a methyl group is a Hydrophobic Alkyl Functional group named after Methane (4

C₂H₅O• → CH₃• + CH₂O

Some minor products in the incomplete combustion of ethane include acetaldehyde, methane, methanol, and ethanol. Formaldehyde is a Chemical compound with the formula H2CO It is the simplest Aldehyde —an organic compound containing a terminal Carbonyl Acetaldehyde, sometimes known as ethanal, is an organic chemical compound with the formula C[[Hydrogen H]]3CH O or MeCHO Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, carbinol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a Chemical compound At higher temperatures, especially in the range 600–900 °C, ethylene is a significant product. Structure This Hydrocarbon has four Hydrogen Atoms bound to a pair of Carbon atoms that are connected by a Double bond. It arises via reactions like

C₂H₅• + O₂ → C₂H₄ + •OOH

Similar reactions (although with species other than oxygen as the hydrogen abstractor) are involved in the production of ethylene from ethane in steam cracking. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the Structure This Hydrocarbon has four Hydrogen Atoms bound to a pair of Carbon atoms that are connected by a Double bond. In Petroleum geology and Chemistry, cracking is the process whereby complex organic Molecules such as Kerogens or heavy Hydrocarbons

Production

After methane, ethane is the second-largest component of natural gas. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Natural gas from different gas fields varies in ethane content from less than 1% to over 6% by volume. Prior to the 1960s, ethane and larger molecules were typically not separated from the methane component of natural gas, but simply burnt along with the methane as a fuel. Today, however, ethane is an important petrochemical feedstock, and it is separated from the other components of natural gas in most well-developed gas fields. Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of Petroleum or other Hydrocarbon origin Ethane can also be separated from petroleum gas, a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons that arises as a byproduct of petroleum refining. An oil refinery is an industrial Process plant where Crude oil is processed and refined into more useful Petroleum products, such as Gasoline Economics of building and running processing plants can change, however. If the relative value of sending the unprocessed natural gas to a consumer exceeds the value of extracting ethane, then the plant may not be run. This can cause operational issues managing the changing quality of the gas in downstream systems. [1]

Ethane is most efficiently separated from methane by liquefying it at cryogenic temperatures. Various refrigeration strategies exist: the most economical process presently in wide use employs turboexpansion, and can recover over 90% of the ethane in natural gas. In this process, chilled gas expands through a turbine; as it expands, its temperature drops to about -100 °C. A turbine is a rotary Engine that extracts Energy from a Fluid flow At this low temperature, gaseous methane can be separated from the liquefied ethane and heavier hydrocarbons by distillation. Distillation is a method of separating Mixtures based on differences in their volatilities in a boiling liquid mixture Further distillation then separates ethane from the propane and heavier hydrocarbons. Propane is a three- Carbon Alkane, normally a gas but compressible to a liquid that is transportable

Uses

The chief use of ethane is in the chemical industry (usually uses a catalyst to boost up the reaction), in the production of ethylene by steam cracking. Structure This Hydrocarbon has four Hydrogen Atoms bound to a pair of Carbon atoms that are connected by a Double bond. In Petroleum geology and Chemistry, cracking is the process whereby complex organic Molecules such as Kerogens or heavy Hydrocarbons When diluted with steam and briefly heated to very high temperatures (900 °C or more), heavy hydrocarbons break down into lighter hydrocarbons, and saturated hydrocarbons become unsaturated. Alkanes, also known as Paraffins are Chemical compounds that consist only of the elements Carbon (C and Hydrogen (H (i In Organic chemistry, an alkene, olefin, or olefine is an unsaturated Chemical compound containing at least one Carbon Ethane is favored for ethylene production because the steam cracking of ethane is fairly selective for ethylene, while the steam cracking of heavier hydrocarbons yields a product mixture poorer in ethylene, and richer in heavier olefins such as propylene and butadiene, and in aromatic hydrocarbons. In Organic chemistry, an alkene, olefin, or olefine is an unsaturated Chemical compound containing at least one Carbon Propene, also known as propylene, is an unsaturated organic compound having the Chemical formula C 3 H 6

Experimentally, ethane is under investigation as a feedstock for other commodity chemicals. Oxidative chlorination of ethane has long appeared to be a potentially more economical route to vinyl chloride than ethylene chlorination. Vinyl chloride is the Organic compound with the formula CH2CHCl Many processes for carrying out this reaction have been patented, but poor selectivity for vinyl chloride and corrosive reaction conditions (specifically, a hydrochloric acid-containing reaction mixture at temperatures greater than 500 °C) have discouraged the commercialization of most of them. A patent is a set of Exclusive rights granted by a State to an inventor or his assignee for a fixed period of time in exchange for a disclosure of an Hydrochloric acid is the Solution of Hydrogen chloride ( H[[Chlorine Cl]] in water Presently, INEOS operates a 1000 t/a ethane-to-vinyl chloride pilot plant at Wilhemshaven in Germany. Ineos is a privately owned UK chemicals company By revenue it is the third largest chemicals firm in the world (after BASF and Dow Chemical) and the biggest Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

Similarly, the Saudi Arabian firm SABIC has announced construction of a 30,000 t/a plant to produce acetic acid by ethane oxidation at Yanbu. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corp is a diversified manufacturing company active in chemicals and intermediates industrial polymers fertilizers and metals Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is an organic chemical compound, giving Vinegar its sour taste Yanbu' al Bahr ( Arabic: ينبع "spring by the sea" also known simply as Yanbu, Yambo or Yenbo, is a major Red Sea This economic viability of this process may rely on the low cost of ethane near Saudi oil fields, and it may not be competitive with methanol carbonylation elsewhere in the world.

Ethane can be used as a refrigerant in cryogenic refrigeration systems. On a much smaller scale, in scientific research, liquid ethane is used to vitrify water-rich samples for electron microscopy. Vitrification is a process of converting a material into a Glass -like Amorphous solid that is free from any Crystalline structure either by the quick removal An electron microscope is a type of Microscope that uses Electrons to illuminate a specimen and create an enlarged image A thin film of water, quickly immersed in liquid ethane at -150 °C or colder, freezes too quickly for water to crystallize. This rapid freezing does not disrupt the structure of soft objects present in the liquid state, as the formation of ice crystals can do. Soft matter or Soft condensed matter is a subfield of Condensed matter comprising a variety of physical states that are easily deformed by thermal stresses or thermal Ice is a Solid phase, usually crystalline, of a Non-metalic substance that is liquid or gas at Room temperature, such as Ammonia

Health and safety

At room temperature, ethane is a flammable gas. When mixed with air at 3. 0% – 12. 5% by volume, it forms an explosive mixture. An explosion is a sudden increase in Volume and release of Energy in an extreme manner usually with the generation of high Temperatures and the release

Some additional precautions are necessary where ethane is stored as a cryogenic liquid. Direct contact with liquid ethane can result in severe frostbite. Frostbite ( congelatio in Medical terminology) is the Medical condition whereby damage is caused to Skin and other tissues In addition, the vapors evaporating from liquid ethane are, until they warm to room temperature, heavier than air and can creep along the ground or gather in low places, and if they encounter an ignition source, can flash back to the body of ethane from which they evaporated.

Containers recently emptied of ethane may contain insufficient oxygen to support life. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the Beyond this asphyxiation hazard, ethane poses no known acute or chronic toxicological risk. It is not known or suspected to be a carcinogen. The term carcinogen refers to any substance Radionuclide or radiation that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of Cancer or in the fatation of its propagation

Atmospheric and extraterrestrial ethane

A photograph of Titan's northern latitudes. TemplateInfobox Planet.--> Titan (ˈtaɪtən, or as The dark features appear to be hydrocarbon lakes, but further images will be needed to see if the dark spots remain the same (as they would if they were lakes)

Ethane occurs as a trace gas in the Earth's atmosphere, having a concentration at sea level of around 0. Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface 5 ppbv^[1] at present, though its pre-industrial concentration is likely to have been substantially less as a large proportion of the ethane in today's atmosphere probably originated as unburned fossil fuels. "Parts-per" notation is used especially in Science and Engineering, to denote Ratios (relative proportions in measured quantities particularly Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fossil source Fuels that is Hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the Earth’s crust. Although ethane is a greenhouse gas, it is much less abundant than methane and also less efficient relative to mass. Greenhouse gases are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere bothnatural and anthropogenic that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared It has also been detected as a trace component in the atmospheres of all four giant planets, and in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan. A gas giant (sometimes also known as a Jovian planet after the planet Jupiter, or giant planet) is a large Planet that is not primarily TemplateInfobox Planet.--> Titan (ˈtaɪtən, or as

Atmospheric ethane results from the Sun's photochemical action on methane gas, also present in these atmospheres: ultraviolet photons of shorter wavelengths than 160 nm can photo-dissociate the methane molecule into a methyl radical and a hydrogen atom. Photochemistry, a sub-discipline of Chemistry, is the study of the interactions between Atoms, small Molecules, and light (or Electromagnetic radiation Ultraviolet ( UV) light is Electromagnetic radiation with a Wavelength shorter than that of Visible light, but longer than X-rays In Physics wavelength is the distance between repeating units of a propagating Wave of a given Frequency. A nanometre ( American spelling: nanometer, symbol nm) ( Greek: νάνος nanos dwarf; μετρώ metrό count) is a In Chemistry, a methyl group is a Hydrophobic Alkyl Functional group named after Methane (4 Hydrogen (ˈhaɪdrədʒən is the Chemical element with Atomic number 1 When two methyl radicals recombine, the result is ethane:

CH₄ → CH₃• + •H

CH₃• + •CH₃ → C₂H₆

In the case of Titan, it was once widely hypothesized that ethane produced in this fashion rained back onto the moon's surface, and over time had accumulated into hydrocarbon seas or oceans covering much of the moon's surface. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. Infrared telescopic observations cast significant doubt on this hypothesis, and the Huygens probe, which landed on Titan in 2005, failed to observe any surface liquids, although it did photograph features that could be presently dry drainage channels. The Huygens probe, supplied by the European Space Agency (ESA and named after the Dutch 17th century astronomer Christiaan Huygens, is an atmospheric entry The Cassini probe though has found evidence of lakes at the poles of Titan, where it is hypothesised, that it is cold enough for methane and ethane to liquify.

In 1996, ethane was detected in Comet Hyakutake, and it has since been detected in some other comets. Comet Hyakutake (çʲakɯ̥take formally designated C/1996 B2) is a Comet discovered on January 30 1996 which passed very close to Earth A comet is a small Solar System body that orbits the Sun and when close enough to the Sun exhibits a visible coma (atmosphere or a tail — The existence of ethane in these distant solar system bodies may implicate ethane as a primordial component of the solar nebula from which the sun and planets are believed to have formed. The formation and evolution of the Solar System is estimated to have begun

References

1. ^ Trace gases

• Michael Faraday (1834). Experimental researches in electricity: Seventh series. Philosophical Transactions, 124:77–122.
• Hermann Kolbe, Edward Frankland (1849). On the products of the action of potassium on cyanide of ethyl. Journal of the Chemical Society, 1:60–74.
• Edward Frankland (1850). On the isolation of the organic radicals. Journal of the Chemical Society, 2:263–296.
• Hermann Kolbe (1850). Researches on the electrolysis of organic compounds. Journal of the Chemical Society, 2:157–184.
• Carl Schorlemmer (1864). Annalen der Chimie, 132:234.
• Michael J. Mumma et al. (1996). Detection of Abundant Ethane and Methane, Along with Carbon Monoxide and Water, in Comet C/1996 B2 Hyakutake: Evidence for Interstellar Origin. Science, 272:1310–1314.

External links

• International Chemical Safety Card 0266

• Computational Chemistry Wiki
• Molview from bluerhinos.co.uk See Ethane in 3D
• Market-Driven Evolution of Gas Processing Technologies for NGLs
• Extra information on Ethane
• Staggered and eclipsed ethane