aldehydes and ketones

• What is the functional group that characterizes aldehydes?


  • CHO
• How are aldehydes produced?


  From the initial oxidation and distillation of primary alcohols
• What happens to aldehydes in the presence of acidified potassium dichromate?


  They oxidize further to produce carboxylic acids
• Which reagents are used to test for aldehydes?

  Tollen’s reagent and Fehling’s solution
• What is the functional group that characterizes ketones?


  • C=O
• How are ketones produced?


  From the oxidation of secondary alcohols with acidified potassium dichromate
• What is a key difference between aldehydes and ketones regarding oxidation?


  Aldehydes can be further oxidized, while ketones cannot
• What is the result of ketones when tested with Tollen’s reagent and Fehling’s solution?


  No visible change occurs
• What is the role of NaBH₄ in reduction reactions?


  It acts as a reducing agent
• What type of reaction is involved in the reduction of aldehydes and ketones?


  Nucleophilic addition
• What is required for the reduction reaction to take place under aqueous conditions?

  A H⁺ ion
• What is produced when nucleophilic addition reactions occur with the :CN^- nucleophile?


  A hydroxy-nitrile
• What does the use of KCN instead of HCN in reactions prevent?


  It prevents dangerous byproducts and storage issues
• What is a characteristic feature of hydroxy-nitriles?


  They commonly contain a chiral carbon centre
• How do different enantiomers of hydroxy-nitriles arise?


  From the :CN^- nucleophile attacking from either above or below the double bond
• How are hydroxy-nitriles named?


  • The carbon on the nitrile group is included in the carbon chain
  • It is taken to be carbon number one
• What is the example given for a hydroxy-nitrile?


  1. hydroxypropanenitrile