ALDEHYDES  CHEMICAL REACTIONS:
 Oxidation of R-CHO yields to R-COOH.
 General formula: R-CHO
 Functional group: Carbonyl group (C=O)
 Produced by Oxidation of 1° alcohols
 Nomenclature of Aldehydes
 Aromatic Aldehydes
 General formula: Ar-CHO
 Benzaldehyde, - colorless, oily liquid with cherry-
almond odor.
KETONES
 General formula: R-CO-R
 Functional group: Carbonyl group (C=O)
 Produced by Oxidation of 2° alcohols.
 Nomenclature of Ketones:
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
 C=O is Polar.
 IMFA is Dipole-dipole interaction.
 Lower boiling pt. than alcohols.
 ↓ MW more water soluble; ↑ MW less water
soluble.
 Aldehydes: ↑ MW (pleasant) ↓ MW (unpleasant)
 Ketones: Pleasant odor
 Liquid aldehydes @RT are sensitive to Oxidation.
 Must be protected from contact w/ air upon storage.
 Ketones resist Oxidation
 Aldehydes are reduced to 1° alcohols.
 Ketones are reduced to 2° alcohols.
 Reduction of C=O is slower than C=C.
 Aldehydes can be easily oxidized to acids but ketones
resist oxidation.
 Tollen’s rgt. & Fehling’s rgt. can be reduced by
Aldehydes into silver mirror and formation of brick
red ppt.
 Aromatic Aldehydes can reduce Tollen’s but not
Fehling’s.
 Ketones cannot reduce both reagents.
 Sodium Nitroprusside Test
 Used to detect presence of Methyl Ketones (COCH3).
 Positive result: Wine red (upon addition of Acetic acid)
 Negative result: Yellow solution (absence of Methyl
ketone)
 Autooxidation
 Positive result: White precipitate
 Negative result: No ppt. formed
 Tollen’s Test  Action of Strong Base
 Oxidation by Silver ions  Canizarro reaction
 Used to distinguish Aldehydes from Ketones.
 Reduction of Silver ions into metallic silver.
 Positive result: Silver mirror/ grayish ppt.
 Negative result: Colorless solution
 Reagents: Ammoniacal Silver Nitrate

 Phenylhydrazine Reaction
 Used to detect Carbonyl group :
Aldehydes/Ketones
 Fehling’s/ Benedict’s Test
 Positive result: Aliphatic (Yellow), Aromatic (Red)
 Oxidation by Copper ions
 Reduced Cu+2 to Cu+
 Fehling’s A: CuSO4 + NaOH
 Fehling’s B: Sodium Potassium Tartrate
 Benedict’s: CuSO4 +Na2CO3/ Na Citrate

 Summary of Chemical Reactions

 Schiff’s Test
 General test for Aldehydes
 Aromatic aldehydes give a positive result.
 Presence of Aldehydes: Purple
 Presence of Ketones: Pale pink