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. The simplest aliphatic compound is methane (CH4). 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.
Most aliphatic compounds have exothermic combustion reactions, thus allowing hydrocarbons such as methane to fuel Bunsen burners in the laboratory, while acetylene is used as torch fuel in pipe fitting.
Neither alicyclic compounds such as cycloalkanes nor aromatic compounds, which include a benzene ring, are aliphatic compounds.[1]
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