Aliphatic compound

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In chemistry, aliphatic compounds are organic compounds, in which carbon atoms are joined together in straight or branched chains as opposed to aromatic compounds which include a benzene ring. The simplest aliphatic compound is methane (C H₄). Aliphatics include not only the fatty acids and other derivatives of paraffin hydrocarbons (alkanes), but also unsaturated compounds, such as ethylene (the alkenes) and acetylene (the alkynes). The most frequently found non-carbon atoms bound to the carbon chain include hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and various halides.

Alicyclic compounds such as cycloalkanes are aliphatic compounds that have one or more non-aromatic cycles in their chemical structure. Bicycloalkanes have two rings of carbon joined at one or two carbons.

Most aliphatic compounds have exothermic combustion reactions, thus allowing hydrocarbons such as methane to fuel Bunsen burners in the laboratory, for example. Due to it being a non-aromatic compound, aliphatic petroleum solvent is used as a starter for barbecues.