3.5.3

Aldehydes & Ketones

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Aldehydes and Ketones

The carbonyl functional group is a carbon double bonded to an oxygen atom. It is present in aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and amides.

Redox behaviour

Redox behaviour

  • Aldehydes can be oxidised to carboxylic acids or reduced to primary alcohols.
  • Ketones cannot be oxidised but can be reduced to a secondary alcohol.
Identifying aldehydes and ketones

Identifying aldehydes and ketones

  • There are three tests: Benedict’s solution, Fehling’s solution, or Tollen’s reagent.
    • Benedict’s and Fehling’s solution will turn from blue to brick red in the presence of an aldehyde, but do nothing with a ketone.
    • Tollen’s reagent will coat the test-tube in a silver mirror in the presence of an aldehyde, but stay clear with a ketone.

Carbonyls and Reduction

Carbonyls can be reduced to alcohols.

Hydride reduction

Hydride reduction

  • The mechanism for the reduction of an aldehyde by a hydride ion is shown.
    • Note how the H− is acting as a nucleophile as it attacks the carbonyl.
  • The mechanism is called a nucleophilic addition reaction.
    • It is used here to reduce aldehydes and ketones to primary and secondary alcohols.
Sodium borohydride

Sodium borohydride

  • We get the H− from NaBH4 - sodium borohydride.
    • It is called a hydride source.
Key points

Key points

  • You can’t have a free hydride ion - it’s too reactive.
    • The reactive ion is actually the B-H bond, but you can draw it as an H- ion in mechanisms.
  • NaBH4 will only reduce carbonyls once because the alcohol is less reactive. The reasons for that are complex!

Nucleophilic Addition of Cyanides

There is another nucleophilic addition reaction you should be aware of.

Nucleophilic addition of KCN

Nucleophilic addition of KCN

  • The nucleophilic addition of the cyanide ion to a carbonyl results in a hydroxynitrile.
    • You may also see the old name of cyanohydrin for the product.
  • The mechanism is on the next slide.
Nucleophilic addition of KCN

Nucleophilic addition of KCN

  • The mechanism for the reaction is shown above.
Key points

Key points

  • You need to add acid at the end to put a proton on the oxygen anion.
  • If the reactant is asymmetric, you’ll get a carbon with four different groups. You’ll have a chiral centre!
    • This means that the nucleophilic addition of a cyanide ion to a carbonyl will give you enantiomers.
    • You get a racemic mixture because you are equally likely to attack from either face of the carbonyl.
    • This is shown on the next slide.
Stereochemistry

Stereochemistry

  • Above shows the stereochemical outcomes of the addition reaction.
Hazards

Hazards

  • We’ve been throwing cyanide around an awful lot in this module.
    • KCN is an irritant, and not something you want to touch.
    • It’s much more dangerous if you get it wet - it produces HCN.
    • Some people can smell HCN, but it is completely odourless to others. Those who can smell it say it smells of almonds.
    • HCN is a respiratory inhibitor and can kill you if you breathe too much of it.
  • To keep safe, you should carry out this reaction in a fume hood, wearing gloves and safety glasses.
Jump to other topics
1

Physical Chemistry

1.1

Atoms, Molecules & Stoichiometry

1.1.1Relative Masses1.1.2The Mole1.1.3Mass Spectrometry1.1.4Empirical & Molecular Formulae1.1.5Balanced Equations1.1.6Molar Volume1.1.7End of Topic Test - Amount of Substance
1.2

Atomic Structure

1.2.1Fundamental Particles1.2.2Isotopes & Mass Number1.2.3Electron Shells, Sub-Shells & Orbitals1.2.4Electron Configuration1.2.5Ionisation Energy1.2.6Factors Affecting Ionisation Energies1.2.7Trends of Ionisation1.2.8Specific Impacts on Ionisation Energies1.2.9Electron Affinity1.2.10End of Topic Test - Atomic Structure1.2.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Atomic Structure
1.3

Chemical Bonding

1.3.1Ionic Bonding1.3.2Covalent & Dative Bonding1.3.3Shapes of Molecules1.3.4Intermolecular Forces1.3.5Intermolecular Forces 21.3.6Electronegativity1.3.7Bond Length, Bond Energy, & Bond Polarity1.3.8Metallic Bonding1.3.9Physical Properties1.3.10End of Topic Test - Bonding1.3.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Bonding
1.4

States of Matter

1.4.1Simple Covalent Molecules1.4.2The Ideal Gas Equation1.4.3States of Matter1.4.4Particle Diagrams1.4.5The Liquid State1.4.6Giant Ionic Lattices1.4.7Giant Metallic Lattices1.4.8Giant Covalent Structures1.4.9Graphene & Fullerene1.4.10Recycling
1.5

Chemical Energetics

1.5.1Calorimetry1.5.2Bond Enthalpies1.5.3Enthalpy Changes1.5.4Hess' Law1.5.5Born-Haber Cycles1.5.6Born-Haber Cycle Calculations1.5.7Entropy1.5.8Free Energy1.5.9End of Topic Test - Energetics
1.6

Electrochemistry

1.6.1Electrochemical Cells1.6.2Electrochemical Series1.6.3Commercial Application1.6.4Nernst Equation1.6.5Redox
1.7

Equilibria

1.7.1Dynamic Equilibrium & Le Chatelier1.7.2Kc1.7.3Kp1.7.4pH1.7.5The Ionic Product of Water1.7.6Weak Acids & Bases1.7.7Introduction to Solubility Equilibria1.7.8Solubility Equilibria Calculations1.7.9Free Energy of Dissolution1.7.10pH and Solubility1.7.11Common-Ion Effect1.7.12End of Topic Test - Kp & Electrochemistry1.7.13A-A* (AO2/3) - Electrochemical Cells
1.8

Partition Coefficient

1.8.1Kpc
1.9

Reaction Kinetics

1.9.1Collision Theory1.9.2Orders, Rate Constants & Equations1.9.3Rate Graphs1.9.4Rate Determining Step1.9.5Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution1.9.6Catalysts1.9.7Homogeneous Catalysts1.9.8Heterogeneous Catalysts1.9.9End of Topic Test - Kinetics1.9.10End of Topic Test - Rate Equations1.9.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Rate Equations
2

Inorganic Chemistry

2.1

The Periodic Table

2.1.1The Periodic Table2.1.2Trends in the Periodic Table2.1.3End of Topic Test - Periodicity & Trends2.1.4Ceramics2.1.5Period 3 Elements & Oxides2.1.6Period 3 Oxides2.1.7End of Topic Test - Period 3
2.2

Group 2

2.2.1Group 2 Chemistry
2.3

Group 17

2.3.1Introduction to Halogens2.3.2Reactions of Halogens2.3.3Chlorine & Chlorate(I)2.3.4End of Topic Test - Group 172.3.5A-A* (AO2/3) - Periodicity, Group 2 & 17
2.4

Transition Metals

2.4.1General Properties2.4.2Titrations2.4.3Shapes of Complex Ions2.4.4Variable Oxidation States2.4.5Ligands2.4.6Colours of Ions2.4.7Stereoisomerism of Complex Ions2.4.8Cisplatin2.4.9Ligand Substitutions & Kstab2.4.10End of Topic Test - Transition Metals2.4.11A-A* (AO2/3) - Transition Metals
2.5

Nitrogen & Sulfur

2.5.1Nitrogen & Ammonia2.5.2Formulated vs Manure Fertilisers2.5.3Nitrogen Containing Fertilisers2.5.4Fertilizers & Eutrophication2.5.5Common Atmospheric Pollutants & Their Properties2.5.6Catalytic Converters2.5.7Atmospheric Oxides
3

Organic Chemistry & Analysis

3.1

Introduction to Organic Chemistry

3.1.1Naming Conventions3.1.2Mechanism3.1.3Isomerism3.1.4End of Topic Test - Introduction to Organic Chem
3.2

Hydrocarbons

3.2.1Fractional Distillation3.2.2Cracking3.2.3Combustion3.2.4Chlorination3.2.5End of Topic Test - Alkanes3.2.6Introduction to Alkenes3.2.7Reactions of Alkenes3.2.8Polymerisation Reactions3.2.9End of Topic Test - Alkenes3.2.10Arenes3.2.11Evidence for Structure of Arenes3.2.12Reactions of Benzene3.2.13End of Topic Test -Arenes
3.3

Halogen Derivatives

3.3.1Properties of Haloalkanes3.3.2Substitution Reactions of Haloalkanes3.3.3Environmental Impacts of Haloalkanes3.3.4End of Topic Test - Halogenoalkanes
3.4

Hydroxy Compounds

3.4.1Types of Alcohol3.4.2Oxidation 13.4.3Oxidation 23.4.4Elimination3.4.5Acids & Esters3.4.6Acyl Chlorides & Acylation3.4.7Phenols & Their Reactions3.4.8End of Topic Test - Alcohols
3.5

Carbonyl Compounds

3.5.1Carbonyls3.5.2Hydrogen Bonding & Carbonyls3.5.3Aldehydes & Ketones3.5.4Tri-Iodomethane Reaction3.5.5End of Topic Test -Carbonyls
3.6

Carboxylic Acids & Derivatives

3.6.1Properties of Carboxylic Acids3.6.2Esters3.6.3Acyl Chlorides3.6.4End of Topic Test - Carboxylic Acids
3.7

Nitrogen Compounds

3.7.1Nature & Preparation of Amines3.7.2Basicity & Nucleophilicity3.7.3Amides3.7.4Reactions of Amino Acids3.7.5Amino Acids
3.8

Polymerisation

3.8.1Properties of Addition Polymers3.8.2Condensation Polymerisation3.8.3Effects of Side-Chains on Polymers3.8.4Hydrolysis of Ester & Amide Groups3.8.5Proteins3.8.6DNA3.8.7Adhesive & Conducting Polymers3.8.8End of Topic Test - Amines & Proteins
3.9

Analytical Techniques

3.9.1Chromatography3.9.2High-Performance Liquid Chromatography3.9.3Gas Chromatography3.9.4IR Spectroscopy3.9.5Uses of IR Spectroscopy3.9.6Mass Spectrometry3.9.7Mass Spectrometry Analysis3.9.8Nuclear Magnetic Resonance3.9.9Carbon-13 NMR3.9.10Proton NMR I3.9.11Proton NMR II3.9.12End of Topic Test - Analytical Techniques3.9.13A-A* (AO2/3) - Analytical Techniques
3.10

Organic Synthesis

3.10.1Chirality & Drug Synthesis3.10.2Organic Synthesis3.10.3Examples of Synthetic Routes3.10.4End of Topic Test - Organic Synthesis

Practice questions on Aldehydes & Ketones

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Carbonyl group is present in:Fill in the list
  2. 2
    A carbonyl group is made up of:True / false
  3. 3
    What's a ketone reduced to?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Why can't you have a free hydride ion?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    In the nucleophilic addition to a carbonyl, which atom does the cyanide ion attack in the molecule? Multiple choice
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Hydrogen Bonding & Carbonyls

Tri-Iodomethane Reaction