ORCHMD1
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Discussion
Module 10:
Aldehydes and Ketones
➢ has a carbon-to-oxygen double bond
➢ define two related families of organic compounds:
the aldehydes and the ketones
➢ ubiquitous in biological compounds.
➢ It is found in carbohydrates, fats, proteins, nucleic
acids, hormones, and vitamins—organic
compounds critical to living systems.
✓ two carbon groups are attached to the
carbonyl carbon atom.
✓ The following general formulas, in which
R represents an alkyl group and Ar
stands for an aryl group, represent
ketones.
✓ at least one of the attached groups must be
a hydrogen atom
✓ In condensed formulas, we use CHO to
identify an aldehyde rather than COH,
which might be confused with an alcohol.
✓ This follows the general rule that in
condensed structural formulas H comes
after the atom it is attached to (usually C,
N, or O).
✓ The carbon-to-oxygen double bond is not
shown but understood to be present.
✓ the carbonyl carbon of an aldehyde is
always at the end of hydrocarbon chains.
✓ the carbonyl carbon of a ketone is always
a nonterminal position in the
hydrocarbon chain.
✓ Because they contain the same functional
group, aldehydes and ketones share many
common properties, but they still differ enough to
warrant their classification into two families.
