Chapter 17.1, 17.2 & 17.3 - Chirality, Carbonyls & Carboxylic acids (L) Flashcards
What are carbonyl compounds?
Compounds with a C=O bond
What are the two types of carbonyl compounds?
Aldehydes and ketones
What is the structural difference between aldehydes and ketones?
In aldehydes, there is a hydrogen bonded to the carbonyl group, in ketones there is not
Where are aldehydes always found and what does this mean locant-wise?
They are always found at the start or end of the chain. This means they do not require a locant
Where can’t ketones be found?
At the end or start of the chain
What’s the difference between C=C and C=O bonds?
Carbon and oxygen have different electronegativities, meaning the C=O bond is a polar bond
What does the fact that C=O is a polar bond mean for reactions?
It means the delta positive carbon can be attacked by nucleophiles
How does the smell of aldehydes vary?
Short aldehydes = unpleasant smells
Long aldehydes = pleasant smells
What is the smell of short ketones?
Solvents
Out of alcohols, carbonyl compounds and alkanes, what is the order of boiling point?
Highest Alcohols Carbonyl compounds Alkanes Lowest
Why do carbonyl compounds have a higher boiling point than alkanes?
Carbonyl compounds have both London and dipole-dipole intermolecular forces, whereas alkanes only have London forces
Why do carbonyl compounds have dipole-dipole forces and alkanes do not?
Because carbonyl compounds are polar, and alkanes are non-polar
Why do alcohols have the highest boiling point?
Because they can form hydrogen bonds between each other, as well as having London and dipole-dipole
Why can’t carbonyl compounds form hydrogen bonds despite being polar?
Because there are no hydrogen atoms attached directly to the oxygen
Why are small carbonyl compounds soluble?
Because they can form hydrogen bonds with water
What is the trend in solubility as carbonyl chain length increases and why?
As the chain gets longer, solubility decreases. This is because the greater number of London forces interferes with the formation of hydrogen bonds
Which is easier to oxidise aldehydes or ketones and why?
Aldehydes are very easy to oxidise because of the hydrogen atom attached to the carbonyl group. On the contrary, ketones are hard to oxidise as they have no hydrogen attached
How many polar bonds are present in carboxylic acids?
3
C=O
C-O
O-H
When are carboxylate ions formed?
When a carboxylic acid loses the H from the O-H bond
What is meant by chirality?
A molecule is called chiral if it cannot be superimposed on its mirror image by any combination of rotations and translations
How can you identify a chiral centre?
A carbon with 4 different atoms or groups attached
What is polarimetry?
The use of a polarimeter to measure the amount of optical activity
What does a polariser do?
Converts unpolarised light into plane polarised light
What is the structure of a carboxylate ion?
O
- C
O
There are two identical carbon-oxygen bonds
What is the smell of butanoic acid?
Smell of stale sweat
What is the boiling point of carboxylic acids in comparison to other organic compounds and why?
The presence of three polar bonds results in strong hydrogen bonding, which means they have a relatively high boiling point in comparison to other organic compound
What happens to boiling point in carboxylic acids as chain length increases and why?
As chain length increases, boiling point increases because the number of London forces between the non-polar hydrocarbon chains increase
How does solubility change in carboxylic acids as chain length increases?
Solubility decreases as the non-polar hydrocarbon chain increases in length, as it forms more London forces which interfer with the formation of hydrogen bonds with water molecules
What two organic molecules oxidise to carboxylic acids?
Primary alcohols and aldehydes
What is the method to oxidise to a carboxylic acid?
Primary alcohol + oxidising agent + heat under reflux
When the oxidation is complete the mixture is fractionally distilled to obtain a pure sample
What is the oxidising agent in oxidising to carboxylic acids?
Acidified potassium dichromate
Other than oxidation, how else can carboxylic acids be formed?
Nitrile + dilute acidic or alkaline conditions + heat under reflux
What is the formula for acidic hydrolysis to a carboxylic acid?
Nitrile + 2H2O + H+ -> Carboxylic acid + NH4+
What is initially produced in alkaline hydrolysis to a carboxylic acid, and how is this overcome?
A carboxylate ion, however this can easily be converted into a carboxylic acid with the addition of a dilute acid
What is the formula for alkaline hydrolysis to a carboxylic acid?
Nitrile + H2O + OH- -> Carboxylate ion + NH3
Can carboxylic acids be reduced to aldehydes and why?
No carboxylic acids cannot be reduced to aldehydes, because all aldehydes are more easily reduced that carboxylic acids, meaning any aldehyde produced will also immediately be reduced to a primary alcohol
What is produced from the neutralisation of carboxylic acids?
Carboxylate salts
What is the most common carboxylate salt?
Sodium ethanoate
What is formula for the production of sodium ethanoate from ethanoic acid?
CH3COOH + NaOH -> CH3COONa + H2O
Ethanoic acid + sodium hydroxide -> sodium ethanoate + water
What type of compound are carboxylate salts?
Ionic
What is the functional group of acyl chlorides?
COCl
What occurs in the halogenation of carboxylic acids and what are formed?
The OH group is replaced by a halogen (e.g. chlorine) forming an acyl (chloride)
Why must the halogenation of carboxylic acids occur in anhydrous conditions?
Because both the reagents and the acyl chloride product react with water
What is the reagent in the halogenation of carboxylic acids to an acyl chloride?
Phosphorus pentachloride
How do you name acyl chlorides?
You use the suffix -oyl chloride
For example propanoyl chloride
What are enantiomers?
Optical isomers that are mirror images of one another, but are non-superimposable.
How do enantiomers affect plane-polarised light?
It rotates it
In polarimetry, if the plane of polarised light is rotated clockwise, what is the substance described as?
Dextrorotatory