(CC BY-NC-ND) Alkenes, hydrocarbons containing carbon–carbon double bonds in addition to carbon-hydrogen bonds, are abundant in nature and readily available. They are commonly utilized for preparation ...

Bromine water is an orange solution of bromine. It becomes colourless when it is shaken with an alkene. Alkenes can decolourise bromine water, but alkanes cannot. The slideshow shows this process.

This reaction proceeds at room temperature and does not require sunlight or UV radiation to initiate it. The rapid disappearance of the amber color of the bromine at room temperature is characteristic ...

"It destroys creativity when we have rules that supposedly can't be overcome," the California-based researchers said.