Chapter 26 - Carbonyls Flashcards
What functional group do aldehydes and ketones have ?
C=O
Where is the functional group found in aldehydes ?
- Found at the end of a carbon chain.
- The carbon atom is attached to one or two hydrogen atoms
What is the functional group written as in aldehydes ?
CHO
What is the simplest aldehyde ?
Methanal AKA formaldehyde
Where is methanal commonly used ?
Used in solution to preserve biological specimens
Where is the functional group found in ketones ?
- Found in a carbon chain
- The functional groups is joined to two carbon atoms in the carbon chain
What is the functional group written as in ketones ?
CO
What is the simplest ketone ?
Propanone
Where is propanone commonly used ?
- Industrial solvent
- Nail varnish remover
How can aldehydes be oxidised to carboxylic acids ?
Refluxed with acidified potassium dichromate and dilute sulphuric acid
Do ketones undergo oxidation reactions ?
- No they do not
- The lack of reactivity provides chemists with a way of distinguishing between aldehydes and ketones
What is the difference between a C=C bond in alkenes and the C=O bond in carbonyl compounds ?
- The C=C bond in alkenes is non polar
- The C=O bond in carbonyl compounds is polar
What is more electronegative in the C=O bond ?
- The oxygen is more electronegative than the carbon
- This makes the carbon end of the bond slightly positive and the oxygen end slightly negative
Due to the polarity of the C=O bond, what do the aldehydes and ketones react with ?
Nucleophiles
What type of mechanisms used for carbonyl compounds ?
Nucleophilic addition
What is NaBH4 used for ?
It is used as a reducing agent to reduce aldehydes and ketones to alcohols
How is an aldehyde/ketone reduced into an alcohol ?
They are usually warmed with NaBH4 in aqueous solution
What is hydrogen cyanide (HCN) ?
- Liquid
- Colourless
- Extremely poisonous at room temperature
What does the reaction of a carbonyl compound with HCN allow to happen ?
It allows the length of the carbon chain to increase
What does the reaction between an aldehyde and hydrogen cyanide make ?
A hydroxynitrile
What is 2,4-DNP used for ?
It is used to detect the presence of the carbonyl functional group in both aldehydes and ketones
What is 2,4-DNP also known as ?
- 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine
- Brady’s reagent
What do you expect to form when you add 2,4-DNP in the presence of the carbonyl group ?
- A yellow or orange precipitate
- Called a 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone
In practical work how is 2,4-DNP used ?
Dissolved in methanol and sulphuric acid
- pale orange solution
What are the dangers of using 2,4-DNP ?
It can be very hazardous because friction or a sudden blow can cause it to explode
How can we distinguish between an aldehyde and a ketone ?
Add Tollen’s reagent
What is Tollen’s reagent ?
A solution of silver nitrate in aqueous ammonia
In the presence of an aldehyde group, what does the addition of Tollen’s reagent cause to form ?
A silver mirror is produced
What ions does Tollen’s reagent contain ?
Ag+ (aq)
What do the Ag+ ions act as ?
They act as an oxidising agent in the presence of ammonia
What gets reduced when testing with Tollen’s reagent ?
Silver ions are reduced to silver
What gets oxidised when testing with Tollen’s reagent ?
The aldehyde is oxidised to a carboxylic acid
What is a carboxylic acid ?
A carboxylic acid is an organic acid which contains the carboxyl functional group
What does the carboxyl group contain ?
It contains both a carbonyl group and a hydroxyl group
Where can you find carboxylic acids ?
- In medicines
- Fruit juices
- Vinegar
- Rhubarb leaves
What are carboxylic acids used for ?
They are used in organic synthesis as starting materials or intermediates in the formation of more useful compounds