Why are alkanes considered very unreactive?

Alkanes are considered very unreactive primarily due to the presence of strong C-H bonds. The carbon-hydrogen bonds in alkanes have a high bond dissociation energy, which means they require a significant amount of energy to break. This strength makes alkanes resistant to most reactions that involve breaking these bonds.

Furthermore, alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons, meaning they contain only single bonds between carbon atoms. The lack of double or triple bonds limits their ability to participate in addition reactions commonly seen in alkenes or alkynes. As a result, alkanes primarily engage in reactions that require high energy conditions, such as combustion or cracking, rather than undergoing spontaneous chemical reactions under standard conditions.

The high stability of alkanes reflects their lack of reactivity compared to other organic compounds, which might have weaker bonds or more reactive functional groups.