By virtue of their strong C–H bonds (~100 kcal/mol) and C–C bonds (~90 kcal/mol, but usually less sterically accessible), they are also relatively unreactive toward free radicals, although many electron-deficient radicals will react with alkanes in the absence of other electron-rich bonds (see below).
baɪ vˈɜːtʃuː ʌv ðɛɹ stɹˈɔŋ sˈiː ˈeɪtʃ bˈɑːndz tˈɪldə wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd kˈeɪkˈæl slˈæʃ mˈɑːl ænd sˈiː sˈiː bˈɑːndz tˈɪldə nˈaɪnti kˈeɪkˈæl slˈæʃ mˈɑːl, bˌʌt jˈuːʒuːəli lˈɛs stˈɛɹɪkli æksˈɛsəbəl, ðeɪ ɑːɹ ˈɔːlsoʊ ɹˈɛlətˌɪvli ʌnɹɪˈæktɪv təwˈɔːɹd fɹˈiː ɹˈædɪkəlz, ɔːlðˈoʊ mˈɛni ᵻlˈɛktɹɑːndᵻfˈɪʃənt ɹˈædɪkəlz wɪl ɹɪˈækt wɪð ˈælkeɪnz ɪnðɪ ˈæbsəns ʌv ˈʌðɚɹ ᵻlˈɛktɹɑːnɹˈɪtʃ bˈɑːndz sˈiː bᵻlˈoʊ.