Heptadecane

Heptadecane
Names
	Preferred IUPAC name Heptadecane
	Other names n-Heptadecane
Identifiers
CAS Number	629-78-7 ;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image ;
Beilstein Reference	1738898
ChEBI	CHEBI:16148 ;
ChemSpider	11892 ;
ECHA InfoCard	100.010.100
EC Number	211-108-4;
KEGG	C01816 ;
MeSH	heptadecane
PubChem CID	12398 ;
RTECS number	MI3550000;
UNII	H7C0J39XUM ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID7047061 ;
	InChI InChI=1S/C17H36/c1-3-5-7-9-11-13-15-17-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2/h3-17H2,1-2H3 Key: NDJKXXJCMXVBJW-UHFFFAOYSA-N ;
	SMILES CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC;
Properties
Chemical formula	C17H36
Molar mass	240.475 g·mol−1
Appearance	Colorless liquid
Odor	Odorless
Density	777 mg mL−1
Melting point	21.1 to 22.9 °C; 69.9 to 73.1 °F; 294.2 to 296.0 K
Boiling point	301.9 °C; 575.3 °F; 575.0 K
Vapor pressure	100 Pa (at 115 °C)
Henry's law; constant (kH)	180 nmol Pa−1 kg−1
Refractive index (nD)	1.436
Viscosity	4.21 mPa·s (20 °C)
Thermochemistry
Heat capacity (C)	2.222 J K−1 g−1
Std molar; entropy (S⦵298)	652.24 J K−1 mol−1
Std enthalpy of; formation (ΔfH⦵298)	−481.9–−477.1 kJ mol−1
Std enthalpy of; combustion (ΔcH⦵298)	−11.3534–−11.3490 MJ mol−1
Hazards
	GHS labelling:
Pictograms
Signal word	Danger
Hazard statements	H304
Precautionary statements	P301+P310, P331
Flash point	149 °C (300 °F; 422 K)
Related compounds
Related alkanes	Hexadecane ; Octadecane ;
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). verify (what is ?) Infobox references

Last updated October 15, 2025

Heptadecane is an organic compound, an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula C₁₇H₃₆. The name may refer to any of 24894 theoretically possible structural isomers, or to a mixture thereof.

The unbranched isomer is normal or n-heptadecane, CH₃(CH₂)₁₅CH₃. In the IUPAC nomenclature, the name of this compound is simply heptadecane, since the other isomers are viewed and named as alkyl-substituted versions of smaller alkanes.

The most compact and branched isomer would be tetra-tert-butylmethane, but its existence is believed to be impossible due to steric hindrance. Indeed, it is believed to be the smallest "impossible" alkane.^[4]

References

↑ "heptadecane - Compound Summary". PubChem Compound. USA: National Center for Biotechnology Information. 16 September 2004. Identification and Related Records. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
↑ Morrison, Robert T.; Boyd, Robert N. (1983). Organic Chemistry (4th ed.). Newton, MA: Allyn and Bacon, Inc. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-205-05838-9.
↑ Doolittle, Arthur K. (1951). "Studies in Newtonian Flow. II. The Dependence of the Viscosity of Liquids on Free-Space". Journal of Applied Physics. 22 (12): 1471–1475. Bibcode:1951JAP....22.1471D. doi:10.1063/1.1699894. ISSN 0021-8979.
↑ K. M. de Silva and J. M. Goodman (2005). "What Is the Smallest Saturated Acyclic Alkane that Cannot Be Made?". J. Chem. Inf. Model. 45 (1): 81–87. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.94.8695 . doi:10.1021/ci0497657. PMID 15667132.

External links

List of plant species containing heptadecane, Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
The smallest alkanes which cannot be made, the goodman group, university of cambridge

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[1] "heptadecane - Compound Summary". PubChem Compound. USA: National Center for Biotechnology Information. 16 September 2004. Identification and Related Records. Retrieved 4 March 2012.

[2] Morrison, Robert T.; Boyd, Robert N. (1983). Organic Chemistry (4th ed.). Newton, MA: Allyn and Bacon, Inc. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-205-05838-9.

[3] Doolittle, Arthur K. (1951). "Studies in Newtonian Flow. II. The Dependence of the Viscosity of Liquids on Free-Space". Journal of Applied Physics. 22 (12): 1471–1475. Bibcode:1951JAP....22.1471D. doi:10.1063/1.1699894. ISSN 0021-8979.

[silva-4] K. M. de Silva and J. M. Goodman (2005). "What Is the Smallest Saturated Acyclic Alkane that Cannot Be Made?". J. Chem. Inf. Model. 45 (1): 81–87. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.94.8695 . doi:10.1021/ci0497657. PMID 15667132.

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Names


Preferred IUPAC name Heptadecane^[1]
Other names n-Heptadecane^[2]
Identifiers
CAS Number	629-78-7 ^Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
Beilstein Reference	1738898
ChEBI	CHEBI:16148 ^Y
ChemSpider	11892 ^Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.010.100
EC Number	211-108-4
KEGG	C01816 ^Y
MeSH	heptadecane
PubChem CID	12398
RTECS number	MI3550000
UNII	H7C0J39XUM ^Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID7047061
InChI InChI=1S/C17H36/c1-3-5-7-9-11-13-15-17-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2/h3-17H2,1-2H3^Y Key: NDJKXXJCMXVBJW-UHFFFAOYSA-N^Y
SMILES CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Properties
Chemical formula	C₁₇H₃₆
Molar mass	240.475 g·mol⁻¹
Appearance	Colorless liquid
Odor	Odorless
Density	777 mg mL⁻¹
Melting point	21.1 to 22.9 °C; 69.9 to 73.1 °F; 294.2 to 296.0 K
Boiling point	301.9 °C; 575.3 °F; 575.0 K
Vapor pressure	100 Pa (at 115 °C)
Henry's law constant (k_H)	180 nmol Pa⁻¹ kg⁻¹
Refractive index (n_D)	1.436
Viscosity	4.21 mPa·s (20 °C)^[3]
Thermochemistry
Heat capacity (C)	2.222 J K⁻¹ g⁻¹
Std molar entropy (S^⦵₂₉₈)	652.24 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹
Std enthalpy of formation (Δ_fH^⦵₂₉₈)	−481.9–−477.1 kJ mol⁻¹
Std enthalpy of combustion (Δ_cH^⦵₂₉₈)	−11.3534–−11.3490 MJ mol⁻¹
Hazards
GHS labelling:
Pictograms
Signal word	Danger
Hazard statements	H304
Precautionary statements	P301+P310, P331
Flash point	149 °C (300 °F; 422 K)
Related compounds
Related alkanes	Hexadecane Octadecane
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Y verify (what is ^YN ?) Infobox references