Alkanes are relatively unreactive towards most reagents because
- A. their carbon to hydrogen bonds are strong and almost non polar, offering nothing for a nucleophile or electrophile to attack
- B. they contain a double bond
- C. they are ionic compounds
- D. they have very high molar masses
Explanation
Carbon and hydrogen have similar electronegativities, so the bonds carry almost no dipole and there is no region of high or low electron density to attract a reagent. This is why alkanes are called paraffins, meaning little affinity, and why their main reactions are combustion and free radical substitution, both of which need harsh conditions. Alkenes react far more readily because the pi electrons are exposed.