View Full Version : Alkenes: Maleic and Fumaric Acid


uwaterloo
01-29-2008, 12:58 PM
hi guys

i was wondeirng if maleic acid and fumaric acids are alkenes...

I initially thought they were alkenes because they both contain carbon carbon double bonds and are organic compounds containing carbon, but now i think it is not because it doesnt have the molecular formula CnH2n...

Do ALL alkenes have the mol. form. CnH2n??

Thanks so much!!:):):)

PS: i wasnt getting enough responses in the Q n A section so im posting it here

uwaterloo
01-29-2008, 02:48 PM
hey thanks for the reply

so maleic/fumaric acid is an alkene right??

xrevision
01-29-2008, 02:54 PM
Do ALL alkenes have the mol. form. CnH2n??No.

Cyclohexene doesnt

PRodulous
01-29-2008, 03:22 PM
i was wondeirng if maleic acid and fumaric acids are alkenes...


It is an alkene.

SketchLazy
01-29-2008, 04:05 PM
hey thanks for the reply

so maleic/fumaric acid is an alkene right??


Yes they are alkenes, but they are also carboxylic acids so the carboxylic acid moiety usually takes priority in naming (even if it's not IUPAC naming).