Alkyne
An unsaturated hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon–carbon triple bond.
Formula / equation
CₙH₂ₙ₋₂
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
The triple-bonded carbons are sp hybridised, making the group linear with 180° bond angles. Terminal alkynes are weakly acidic because the high s character of the sp orbital stabilises the resulting carbanion, allowing them to be deprotonated and used to build longer chains.
Examples in the real world
Ethyne burning at over 3000 °C in oxy-acetylene welding; propyne as a synthetic building block.