The alkanes range in complexity from the simplest case of methane (), where n = 1 (sometimes called the parent molecule), to arbitrarily large and complex molecules, like pentacontane () or 6-ethyl-2-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl) octane, an isomer of tetradecane ().
ðɪ ˈælkeɪnz ɹˈeɪndʒ ɪn kəmplˈɛksᵻɾi fɹʌmðə sˈɪmpəlɪst kˈeɪs ʌv mˈɛθeɪn, wˌɛɹ ˈɛn ˈiːkwəlz wˈʌn sˈʌmtaɪmz kˈɔːld ðə pˈɛɹənt mˈɑːlɪkjˌuːl, tʊ ˌɑːɹbɪtɹˈɛɹᵻli lˈɑːɹdʒ ænd kˈɑːmplɛks mˈɑːlɪkjˌuːlz, lˈaɪk pˈɛntɐkˌɔnteɪn ɔːɹ sˈɪksˈɛθəl tˈuːmˈɛθəl fˈaɪv wˈʌnmˈɛθaɪlθˌaɪl ˈɑːkteɪn, ɐn ˈaɪsəmɚɹ ʌv tˈɛtɹeɪdkˌeɪn.