MCAT Aldehydes and Ketones Flashcards
Major resonance v. Minor resonance
Major resonance is when every atom has a full octet.
Minor resonance is when the pi electrons are displaced onto the oxygen making carbon have an incomplete octet.
Describe the boiling point and melting point of aldehydes and ketones
Aldehydes and ketones have higher M.P. and B.P. than alkanes due to polarity but lower than alcohols because they only have hydrogen acceptors and not donors.
B.P. decreases with branching.
Describe the solubility of aldehydes and ketones
Aldehydes and ketones up to four carbon atoms are highly solube in water.
Mild oxidation agents v. Strong oxidation agents
Mild is a two - electron oxidation
Strong - four electron oxidation
What happens when we expose a carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid derivative to a mild reducing agent?
We turn it into an aldehyde.
Describe nucleophilic addition reactions of aldehydes and ketones in acidic v. basic conditions
Nucleophilic addition reactions is a reaction in which the hydrogen is added to the oxygen and nucleophile added to the carbonyl carbon.
Acidic conditions: acid protonates oxygen first and then nucleophile attacks carbonyl carbon. Hydrogen on nucleophile is removed.
Basic conditions - nucleophile attacks, protonation of oxygen, deprotonation of nucleophile.
Strong nucleophiles we do under basic conditions and weak nucleophiles under acidic conditions.
What happens when we hydrate an aldehyde or ketone?
We get an aldehyde hydrate or a ketone hydrate. The result is a geminal diol. Forward (hydration) and reverse (condensation) reactions exist in dynamic equilibrium.
Describe the formation of cyanohydrin?
When we react a cyanide ion ( NaCN) with an aldehyde or ketone we get a cyanohydrin in which you get a cyanide and hydroxyl group.
Because nucleophile is strong it’s done under basic conditions.
- Cyanide attacks first bumping pi electrons onto oxygen.
- Oxygen gets protonated
Describe attack by ammonia or amines?
If attacked by ammonia or a primary amine you get an imine ( schiff base).
If attacked by secondary amine you get a schiff base which can tautomerize into an enamine.
A condensation reaction and happens under acidic conditions.
What are the variants of imine formation of aldehydes are ketones?
- Ammonia attacks lead to imine.
- Primary amine attack leads to imine ( Schiff base)
- Hydroxylamine attack leads to oxime.
- Hydrazine attack leads to hydrazone.
What happens when we react two molar concentrations of alcohols to aldehydes or ketones?
We form ketals or acetals.
a condensation reaction and happens under acidic conditions.
Hemiacetal intermediate has an alkoxy group (-OR) and hydroxyl group ( -OH_ bonded to the same carbon.
What functions does acetals have?
Ther serve as protecting groups. Most commonly with 1,2- diols and 1,3- diols heated with a strong acid (- TsOH).
The protecting group can be removed with a strong acid mixed with water- miscible solvent.
Because aldehydes are less sterically hindered, they react faster than ketones and so can be used to selectively protect aldehydes or ketones.
Describe the Tollen’s test
A way to test for aldehydes.
We use the tollens reagent ( Ag( NH3)2^+). When aldehydes are present we get a silver mirror.
Ketones can also produce a silver if they form aldehydes through keto-enol tautomerization.
Alpha reactions (alpha substitution reactions)
When the alpha carbon (carbon next to carbonyl carbon) acts as a nucleophile.
Describe the formation of enols and enolate ions
Enol is formed when deprotonation of alpha- hydrogen causes a double bond to form between alpha carbon and carbonyl carbon and bumping pi electrons onto oxygen. This forms the enolate ion.
When the enolate ion is protonated, we get an enol.