Chapter 26 - Carbonyls and Carboxylic acids Flashcards
What is the carbonyl functional group?
C=O
What is the difference between an aldehyde and a ketone?
Aldehyde group written as CHO, attached to end of carbon chain
Ketone group written as CO, attached to two carbon atoms in the carbon chain
What oxidation reactions do aldehydes and ketones undergo?
Aldehydes oxidised to carboxylic acids when refluxed with acidified K2Cr2O7.
Ketones do not undergo oxidation reactions
Why do aldehydes and ketones react with nucleophiles?
Due to the polarity of the C=O bond (O is more electronegative, making it slightly negative).
What is a nucleophile?
An electron donor
How is an aldehyde reduced, what is the product?
Aldehydes are reduced to primary alcohols by NaBH4
NUCLEOPHILIC ADDITION
How is a ketone reduced, what is the product?
Ketones are reduced to secondary alcohols by NaBH4
NUCLEOPHILIC ADDITION
How do carbonyl compounds react with HCN?
HCN adds across the C=O bond to form a hydroxynitrile
NUCLEOPHILIC ADDITION
What happens in nucleophilic addition?
Nucleophile attracted to delta positive C atom, and a dative covalent bond is formed.
The pi bond in the C=O double bond breaks by heterolytic fission to form a negatively charge intermediate. The oxygen atom of the intermediate donates a lone pair of electrons to a H atom in a water molecule. Intermediate has been protonated to form an alcohol.
What is the mechanism for the reaction with NaCN/H+?
Lone pair from CN- ion forms dative covalent bond with the delta positive C atom. Pi bond in C=O double bond breaks by heterolytic fission to form negatively charged intermediate. Intermediate protonated by donating lone pair to H+ ion to form hydroxynitrile
How can you test for the presence of the carbonyl functional group in both aldehydes and ketones?
2,4-DNP
In the presence of a carbonyl group, a yellow/orange precipitate forms
What test can you use to distinguish between aldehydes and ketones?
Use Tollen’s reagent - solution of silver nitrate in aqueous ammonia. In presence of aldehyde group, a silver mirror is produced
Why does Tollen’s create a silver mirror for aldehydes/not react with ketones?
Silver ions reduced to silver as aldehyde is oxidised to a carboxylic acid.
Ketones cannot be oxidised
How can the precipitate formed by the 2,4 - DNP test be analysed to identify the carbonyl compound?
Impure solid filtered to separate solid precip from solution. Solid then recrystallised to produce a pure sample of crystals. The melting point is then measured and recorded and compared to a database
What is the solubility of the carboxylic acids?
C=O and O-H bonds are polar allowing carboxylic acids to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules. Carboxylic acids with up to 4 C atoms are soluble in water - as chain length increases, solubility decreases