Bromine water is an orange solution of bromine. It becomes colourless when it is shaken with an alkene. Alkenes can decolourise bromine water, but alkanes cannot. The slideshow shows this process.

The longest unbranched chain containing the functional group is the parent molecule, or simply the longest unbranched chain for alkanes. Remember that, the longest chain can go round a bend.

This reaction proceeds at room temperature and does not require sunlight or UV radiation to initiate it. The rapid disappearance of the amber color of the bromine at room temperature is characteristic ...

An unsolved challenge in catalysis is the efficient and selective functionalization of simple alkanes and plentiful hydrocarbon feedstocks. One promising approach since the late 1990’s is the use of ...

More information: Hao Zeng et al, Modular alkene synthesis from carboxylic acids, alcohols and alkanes via integrated ...