Alkynes are compounds which have low polarity, and have physical properties that are essentially the same as those of the alkanes and alkenes.

1. They are insoluble in water.
2. They are quite soluble in the usual organic solvents of low polarity (e.g. ligroin, ether, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, etc.).
3. They are less dense than water.
4. Their boiling points show the usual increase with increasing carbon number.
5. They are very nearly the same as the boiling points of alkanes or alkenes with the same carbon skeletons.¹

 

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Polynes have been isolated from a wide variety of plant species, cultures of higher fungi, bacteria, marine sponges, and corals. They are also used in pharmaceuticals, for example Norethynodrel, a contraceptive. Other examples include calicheamicin, which is an aggressive antitumor drug. It is so powerful, sometimes it is known as “warhead”.²

 

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