Hexane

Hexane or n-hexane is an <a href="/facts/Organic_compound/gqCNaN45">organic compound</a>, a straight-chain <a href="/facts/Alkane/Qam7Hvmf">alkane</a> with six <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">carbon</a> atoms and the <a href="/facts/Molecular_formula/hghUtthl">molecular formula</a> C6H14.
Hexane is a colorless liquid, odorless when pure, and with a boiling point of approximately 69 °C (156 °F). It is widely used as a cheap, relatively safe, largely unreactive, and easily evaporated <a href="/facts/Non-polar_solvent/LoMPMz8S">non-polar solvent</a>, and modern <a href="/facts/Gasoline/lcnxq5BS">gasoline</a> blends contain about 3% hexane.
The term hexanes refers to a <a href="/facts/Mixture/tms8rbmn">mixture</a>, composed largely (>60%) of n-hexane, with varying amounts of the isomeric compounds <a href="/facts/2-methylpentane/39lYTNPu">2-methylpentane</a> and <a href="/facts/3-methylpentane/37YHGuC2">3-methylpentane</a>, and possibly, smaller amounts of nonisomeric C5, C6, and C7 (cyclo)alkanes. These "hexanes" mixtures are cheaper than pure hexane and are often used in large-scale operations not requiring a single <a href="/facts/Isomer/PXlvDVdg">isomer</a> (e.g., as cleaning solvent or for <a href="/facts/Chromatography/2FrvPjNV">chromatography</a>).

Hexane open-in-new

Hexane