KETONES

Group 2
Bantaculo, Bautista, Butron, Capuno, Carlos, Corpuz
Learning Objectives
● To distinguish ketones from other compounds
● To perform tests to detect the presence of
ketones
Materials:
● Test tubes ● Glass dropper
● Test tube holder ● Ethyl alcohol
● Test tube rack ● Hexane
● Bunsen burner ● Tollen’s reagent
● Beaker ● Fehling’s reagent
● Wire gauze ● Concentrated Sulfuric
● Tripod acid
● Acetone ● Iodine in KI solution
SOLUBILITY
A. Solubility
1. Place 1mL each of water, ethyl alcohol , hexane in 3 test tubes.
2. Add 10 drops of acetone to each test tube. Note its solubility and
record the results in the table below.

Water Ethyl alcohol Hexane

Acetone Miscible Miscible Immiscible

 Hexane
Water

Ethyl alcohol
OXIDATION REACTION
WHAT IS OXIDATION?

Oxidation is a chemical process that involves the loss of electrons or an increase in the
oxidation state of an atom, molecule, or ion. In the context of detecting ketones, oxidation
reactions play a significant role, “Dehydrogenation go Brrrr" where the C-H bonds decreases
and C-O bonds increase.

Oxidation reactions often involve the use of specific reagents or tests that can selectively react
with ketones and produce a detectable signal. These tests can help identify the presence of
ketones in a given sample or confirm the presence of a ketone functional group in a
compound.

An example is, Brady's reagent; This reagent, consisting of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-

DNP), is commonly used to detect the presence of carbonyl compounds, including ketones. It
forms a yellow to orange precipitate when reacting with a ketone.

“ROLES” FOR THE EXPERIMENT:

- Our Acetone as Reducing Agent
- Our Reagents as Oxidizing Agents
PROCEDURE
1. With Tollen's Reagent

a. Add 1 mL of ammoniacal silver nitrate to ImL acetone.

b. Place the solution in a water bath. Observe and note the results in
the table below.

2. With Fehling's Reagent

a. Mix 1mL of Fehling's A and 1mL of Fehling's B (2mL Fehling's A&B

Solution) in a test tube.

b. Add 1mL of acetone to the mixture and warm in a water bath.

Observe and note the results in the table below.
TOLLEN'S TEST (Silver Mirror Test)
RESULTS: Upon Lifting the Sample from
the Warm Bath, The Solution
appears to be Yellowish in
color, Homogenous, and
transparent but somewhat
opaque in Appearance

CHEMICAL EQUATION 2 Ag(NH3)2+ + 2 OH- + 2

CH3COCH3 → No Reaction

CONCLUSION:
The results didn't appear to have the test’s
indicated results for testing of oxidation; an
appearance of a “Silver Mirror” around the test
tube or To have gray precipitates that settle on
top, Therefore making this Test “Negative” in
result.
FEHLING'S TEST
RESULTS: Upon lifting the sample from
the warm bath, the solution
appears to still be blue in
color it appears to be
heterogeneous; a liquid atop
a sunken substance

CHEMICAL EQUATION +Cu2+ + OH- + 2

CH3COCH3 → No Reaction

CONCLUSION:
The results didn't appear to have the test’s
indicated results for testing of oxidation; a color of
“Brick Red” but instead yielded the same color,
Indicating No Reaction, therefore marks as
Fehling's Test Negative.
RATIONALE
● Acetone is mainly a weak Reduction Agent, whilst Tollen's and Fehling’s
Reagent are Mild (still weak in general) Oxidizing Agents which will yield no
particular result or reaction nor Positive Results, unless a different reagent
were to be used.
● While Alpha-Hydroxy-Ketones are an exception in Fehling's Test, Acetone is a
“Methyl Ketone” which do not have that “lone” or Alpha Hydrogen attached
to their carbonyl group
C. Iodoform Test
1. To 2mL of acetone, add 2mL of 10% sodium hydroxide and 3mL of water.
2. Drop by drop, add iodine in KI solution
3. Warm the solution in water bath
4. Note for any changes:
Results: On the 12th drop of Iodine, it turned into a milky white solution.
On the 20th drop of iodine, the solution turned into milky yellow. It is then
placed into the water bath and upon lifting the solution, formation of yellow
precipitates are seen on the sides of the test tubes.
QUESTIONS FOR
RESEARCH
1. Enumerate 3 ketones and identify 1 use per substance
a. Acetone (dimethyl ketone) - used as a solvent for lacquer including fingernail polish.
b. Butanone (methyl ethyl ketone) - used in processes involving gums, resins, cellulose
acetate and nitrocellulose coatings and in vinyl films.
c. Cyclohexanone (cyclohexyl ketone or ketocyclohexane) - used as a solvent natural
and synthetic resins and lacquers.

2. What happens when a person ingests acetone? How is it managed?

When a person has ingested an acetone, he/she will experience several symptoms based on how
worse that person has consumed the acetone. If the person has mild acetone poisoning, he/she
may experience headache, slurred speech, lethargy and lack of coordination. While for a person
who has experienced severe acetone poisoning, it leads to critical conditions like coma, low blood
pressure and deep stupor. According to Krause (2018), there is no cure for acetone poisoning so
Doctors conduct intubation to help their patient breathe since the body’s natural response is to
raise the breathing rate to clear the acids present in the blood. In this case, vomiting is prohibited
because acetone is harmful to the skin of the mouth as well as to the lining of the esophagus.
3. How will one differentiate an aldehyde from a ketone? State all possible differences. Tabulate.
References:
9.7: Aldehydes and Ketones. (2021, September 24). Chemistry LibreTexts.
Retrieved May 20, 2023, from
https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Sacramento_City_College/SCC%3A_C
HEM_330_-_Adventures_in_Chemistry_(Alviar-Agnew)/09%3A_Organic_C
hemistry/9.07%3A_Aldehydes_and_Ketones

Krause, L. (2018, September 29). Acetone Poisoning. Retrieved from

https://www.healthline.com/health/acetone-poisoning?fbclid=IwAR01t43GF3
zhj7_TWKwif6-clohMztbKfebKbTxpd-dWumxu2bKM4W5SA-g