noun
- A saturated hydrocarbon containing one or more rings of carbon atoms with only single bonds between them.
Usage: chemistry; organic chemistry term
Examples
- Cyclopropane and cyclobutane are the simplest cycloalkanes.
- Cyclohexane is a common cycloalkane used as a solvent in laboratories.
- The structure of a cycloalkane differs from that of a linear alkane because of its ring formation.
- Cycloalkanes have the general formula CnH2n, where n is the number of carbon atoms.
- Students learn about cycloalkane stability and ring strain in organic chemistry courses.