Question

Why do alkanes not react with potassium permanganate?

Answer 1

Alkanes:

1. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons that are slightly stable due to the presence of only sigma bonds (single bonds).
2. The pi bonds (double bonds) are absent in them.

Potassium Permanganate $\left({\mathrm{KMnO}}_4\right)$:

1. It is a strong oxidizing agent.
2. It dissolves in water to give the purple solutions.

Alkanes do not react with potassium permanganate because ${\mathrm{KMnO}}_4$ is oxidizers and alkanes have no functional groups such as double bonds that can be further oxidized.