Question

Why are cycloalkanes unreactive?

Answer 1

Cycloalkanes display a reactivity similar to alkanes.........

Explanation:

Cycloalkanes are alicyclic structures that display a similar reactivity to comparable alkanes, and reasonably, their chemistry is limited. There is no functionality on the ring with which nucleophilic or electrophilic reagents can react (of course, alkanes in general are quite unreactive species). A small ring, say cyclopropane, is capable of reduction to propane given reaction with dihydrogen:

`"cyclo"-C_3H_6 + H_2 rarr C_3H_8`

But this is a manifestation of ring strain in the small, three-membered ring.