MCAT Aldehydes and Ketones Flashcards

1
Q

Major resonance v. Minor resonance

A

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.

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2
Q

Describe the boiling point and melting point of aldehydes and ketones

A

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.

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3
Q

Describe the solubility of aldehydes and ketones

A

Aldehydes and ketones up to four carbon atoms are highly solube in water.

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4
Q

Mild oxidation agents v. Strong oxidation agents

A

Mild is a two - electron oxidation

Strong - four electron oxidation

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5
Q

What happens when we expose a carboxylic acid or carboxylic acid derivative to a mild reducing agent?

A

We turn it into an aldehyde.

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6
Q

Describe nucleophilic addition reactions of aldehydes and ketones in acidic v. basic conditions

A

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.

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7
Q

What happens when we hydrate an aldehyde or ketone?

A

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.

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8
Q

Describe the formation of cyanohydrin?

A

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.

  1. Cyanide attacks first bumping pi electrons onto oxygen.
  2. Oxygen gets protonated
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9
Q

Describe attack by ammonia or amines?

A

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.

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10
Q

What are the variants of imine formation of aldehydes are ketones?

A
  • Ammonia attacks lead to imine.
  • Primary amine attack leads to imine ( Schiff base)
  • Hydroxylamine attack leads to oxime.
  • Hydrazine attack leads to hydrazone.
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11
Q

What happens when we react two molar concentrations of alcohols to aldehydes or ketones?

A

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.

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12
Q

What functions does acetals have?

A

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.

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13
Q

Describe the Tollen’s test

A

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.

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14
Q

Alpha reactions (alpha substitution reactions)

A

When the alpha carbon (carbon next to carbonyl carbon) acts as a nucleophile.

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15
Q

Describe the formation of enols and enolate ions

A

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.

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16
Q

What contributes to the reactivity of the alpha hydrogen?

A

It’s very acidic due to being next to the polar carbonyl carbon and its inductive effect of withdrawing electron density away from it.

17
Q

What happens when you get a ketone with different R groups each with alpha hydrogens?

A

Regioisomers form

  • When the alpha- hydrogen is removed and double bond forms on side that’s least substituted you get the kinetic product (high energy, less stable). Forms quick.
  • When the alpha- hydrogen is removed and the double bond forms on the side that’s most substituted you get the thermodynamic product (low energy, highly stable). Doesn’t form quick
18
Q

alkylation reactions

A

Reactions in which an enolate ion reacts with an alkyl halide resulting in the alkyl group being added and the halide being released.

19
Q

Stork- enamine synthesis

A

Reaction in which we alkylate an enamine.

Happens under acidic conditions and through an SN2 mechanism.

20
Q

Alpha- halogenation reaction

A

When the enol or enolate ion reacts with X2, replacing a hydrogen with a halogen atom.

Can happen with all the other halogens except fluorine.

Under basic conditions the nucleophile attacks first forming an enolate ion to react.

Under acidic conditions the hydrogen is protonated forming an enol which reacts.

21
Q

Aldol condensation

A

A condensation reaction in which an enol or enolate ion attacks a similar species creating a carbon-carbon bond. The product is called the aldol product.

22
Q

Retro - aldol reaction

A

The reverse of the aldol condensation reaction in which you get the formation of the two separate compounds from the aldol product.

23
Q

What happens when you apply heat or let the reaction go for a long period of time?

A

the formation of an alpha, beta unsaturated carbonyl. The product is now referred to as the aldol condensation.

24
Q

How can we stop the aldol condensation product from forming?

A

Perform the reaction under cold conditions.

25
Q

Crossed aldol condensation reaction

A

When the two reactants are not the same compound. This can lead to multiple alpha, beta unsaturated aldehyde compounds.

To maximize formation of one product over the other is:

  1. The nucleophile is the only compound with alpha hydrogens.
  2. We present the electrophile in excess and it’s more electrophilic than the nucleophile is nucleophilic.
  3. Reactants are added in a specific order.
26
Q

Intramolecular aldol condensation

A

When the two aldehyde or ketone products are within the same compound, they perform an intramolecular aldol condensation reaction forming a cyclic compound.

27
Q

1,4- addition v. 1,2- addition

A

When we add a nucleophile to a diene, we get 1,2- addition product which is the kinetic product.

When we add a nucleophile to a diene we get a 1,4- addition when resonance happens which is the thermodynamic product.

28
Q

Micheal addition

A

Reaction in which a Micheal donor attacks the Micheal acceptor creating a Micheal adduct. The Micheal acceptor is added to the beta carbon while the hydrogen is added to the alpha carbon.

29
Q

Robinson annulation

A

When a 1,3- dicarbonyl ( Micheal donor) reacts with an alpha, beta unsaturated ketone resulting in a cyclohexanone ring.

30
Q

Strecker synthesis

A

A way to make amino acids in vitro.

Uses an aldehyde precursor, with the substituent of the aldehyde being the R group. The carbonyl carbon the aldehyde becomes the alpha carbon.

The reagents used are NH3,HCN
HCI, H20