Aldehydes and Ketones - Properties
Name
Formula MW BP
Solubility
(°C)
in Water
Butane
58
0
Insol.
Ethyl
methyl ether
60
11
Sol.
Propanal
58
49
Sol.
Acetone
58
56
Sol.
1-Propanol
60
Ketones - Real-life Examples
Propanone is used in nail polish remover
97
Sol.
1,3-dihydroxypropanone is used in fake tans
Ketones - Real-life Examples
•Here are two examples of important ketones:
Ketones - Real-life Examples
Norethynodrel owes its action to its
similarity to progesterone:
Aldehydes - Real-life Examples
•Note the three functional groups:
•A carbonyl.
H
C
O
•An ether.
•A phenol.
O
CH3
OH
•This compound is the flavour vanilla.
Aldehydes and Ketones - Nomenclature
•Essentially the same naming system is used as for alcohols, except the C=O group has
priority.
–Aldehydes Suffix: “ -al”
–Ketones
Suffix: “-one”
•Hence you must number the chain so that the C=O group is given the lowest number.
(With Aldehydes this C must = 1).
Aldehydes and Ketones - Nomenclature
•Aldehydes
–Drop the “e” from the parent alkane and add the suffix “al”.
–Select the backbone to include the carbonyl and give it the number 1.
•Ketones
–Drop the “e” from the parent alkane and add the suffix “one”.
–Select the backbone to include the carbonyl and give it the lowest possible number.
Aldehydes and Ketones - Nomenclature
•Examples:
–Propanal
CH3
CH2
C H
O
O
–3-hexanone
3
CH3
CH2
CH2
1
C
2
CH2
CH3
–1-bromo-5-hexen-3-one
Aldehydes and Ketones - Nomenclature
•Cyclic systems also follow the same rules as alcohols, again with the C=O group
having the highest priority.
CH3O
O
3
–4-ethyl-3-methoxycyclohexanone
1
4
CH3CH2
•This was used in 1893 by BAYER to change the very caustic salicylic acid to the more
benign Aspirin.