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
• What is the role of NaBH₄ in reduction reactions?

  It acts as a reducing agent providing the nucleophile
• What is required for the reduction reaction to take place?

  A H⁺ ion and aqueous conditions
• What is produced from nucleophilic addition reactions 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 center
• How do different enantiomers of hydroxy-nitriles arise?

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

  • The carbon on the nitrile group is included in the carbon chain
  • It is taken to be carbon number one
• What is the name of the compound with the structure of 2-hydroxypropanenitrile?


  1. hydroxypropanenitrile