Gasoline is a complex mixture of over 500 hydrocarbons that may have between 5 to 12 carbons. Alkanes type compounds, either straight chain or branched coupounds are present is greatest amounts. Smaller amounts of alkane cyclic and aromatic compounds are present. Very small or trace amounts of alkenes are present in gasoline. A few examples are given here.

First click on any graphic symbol, then try to figure out the name of the compound - write both the structure and the name down. Finally click and hold the drop down menu box on the left to reveal the answer. Do not be too quick to look at the answer as this defeat the purpose of the exercise.

Compound	Octane number	Static Graphic Image
Paraffins or Alkanes
Answer n-butane	113	Graphic
Answer n-pentane	62	Graphic
Answer n-hexane	19	Graphic
Answer n-heptane	0	Graphic
Answer 2-methylbutane	99	Graphic
Answer 2,2-dimethylpropane	100	Graphic
Answer 2,2-dimethylbutane	89	Graphic
Answer 2,2-dimethylpentane	89	Graphic
Answer 2,2,3-trimethylbutane	113	Graphic
Answer 2,2,4-trimethylpentane	100	Graphic
Olefins or Alkenes
Answer 1-pentene	152	Graphic
Answer 2-methyl-2-butene	176	Graphic
Answer 3-methyl-2-pentene	130	Graphic
Answer 2,4,4-trimethyl-1-pentene	164	Graphic
Cycloalkanes or Naphthenes
Answer cyclopentane	141	Graphic
Answer methylcyclopentane	107	Graphic
Answer cyclohexane	110	Graphic
Answer 1,2-dimethylcyclohexane	104	Graphic
Answer 1,4-dimethylcyclohexane	66	Graphic
Aromatics
Answer Benzene	99	Graphic
Answer Toluene or methylbenzene	124	Graphic
Answer 1,3-dimethylbenzene	145	Graphic
Answer Ethylbenzene	124	Graphic
Answer Propylbenzene	127	Graphic
Answer Isopropylbenzene	132	Graphic