Aldehydes, Ketones & Carboxylic Acids
- Reaction involving C-H bond
- Electronegative groups (EWG)
- Haloform reaction (HVZ reaction)
- Examples of reactions
- Common reagents and conditions
Reaction involving C-H bond
- Aldehydes and ketones can undergo reactions that involve the cleavage of a C-H bond
- These reactions are important for the synthesis of complex organic compounds
- Common reactions include oxidation, reduction, and substitution
Electronegative groups (EWG)
- Electronegative groups, such as nitro (NO2) and cyano (CN), increase the reactivity of aldehydes and ketones
- They activate the C-H bond towards nucleophilic attack or oxidation reactions
- This is due to the presence of electron-withdrawing substituents that enhance the polarity of the C-H bond
- The haloform reaction is a method to convert methyl ketones into haloforms (compounds containing a halogen atom)
- The reaction proceeds in the presence of a strong base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH)
- It involves the successive halogenation and hydrolysis of the methyl ketone
Examples of reactions
- Oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids using oxidizing agents like potassium permanganate (KMnO4)
- Reduction of ketones to secondary alcohols using reducing agents like sodium borohydride (NaBH4)
- Nucleophilic addition reactions with various nucleophiles, such as Grignard reagents and cyanide ions
Common reagents and conditions
- Oxidation: Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) in acidic medium
- Reduction: Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in alcoholic solvent
- Nucleophilic addition: Grignard reagents (RMgX) in ether solvent, or cyanide ions (CN-) in the presence of a base
- Oxidation of Aldehydes
- Aldehydes can be oxidized to carboxylic acids
- This reaction involves the breaking of a C-H bond and the formation of a C-O bond
- Common oxidizing agents include potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and chromic acid (H2CrO4)
- Example: Oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid using potassium permanganate
- Redox Reaction
- Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons between reactants
- In oxidation, a species loses electrons and increases its oxidation state
- In reduction, a species gains electrons and decreases its oxidation state
- Example: Reduction of acetone to isopropanol using sodium borohydride
- Nucleophilic Addition
- Aldehydes and ketones can undergo nucleophilic addition reactions
- Nucleophiles attack the electrophilic carbon of the carbonyl group
- This results in the formation of a new bond to the carbon and breaking of the carbonyl bond
- Example: Addition of Grignard reagent (RMgX) to a ketone to form an alcohol
- Cyanohydrin Formation
- Cyanohydrin formation is a type of nucleophilic addition reaction
- It involves the addition of cyanide ion (CN-) to the carbonyl group
- The reaction results in the formation of a cyanohydrin, which contains a hydroxyl group and a cyano group
- Example: Formation of cyanohydrin from benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide (HCN)
- Aldol Condensation
- Aldol condensation is a type of nucleophilic addition reaction between two carbonyl compounds
- It involves the formation of a carbon-carbon bond and the elimination of water
- The reaction is catalyzed by a base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
- Example: Condensation of acetone and benzaldehyde to form a β-hydroxy ketone
- Cannizzaro Reaction
- The Cannizzaro reaction is a disproportionation reaction of aldehydes
- It involves the simultaneous oxidation and reduction of the same aldehyde molecule
- The reaction is often carried out in the presence of a strong base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
- Example: Cannizzaro reaction of benzaldehyde to form benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol
- Acidity of Carboxylic Acids
- Carboxylic acids are weak acids due to the presence of a carboxyl group (COOH)
- They can donate a proton (H+) to a base
- The acidity of carboxylic acids increases with the presence of electron-withdrawing groups on the molecule
- Example: Acetic acid is a weak acid, while trichloroacetic acid is a stronger acid
- Esterification
- Esterification is the reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol
- It involves the formation of an ester and the elimination of water
- The reaction is often catalyzed by an acid, such as concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
- Example: Esterification of acetic acid and ethanol to form ethyl acetate
- Hydrolysis of Esters
- Hydrolysis of esters involves the cleavage of the ester bond by water
- It can be acid-catalyzed or base-catalyzed
- Acidic hydrolysis forms a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, while basic hydrolysis forms a carboxylate ion and an alcohol
- Example: Acidic hydrolysis of ethyl acetate to form acetic acid and ethanol
- Saponification
- Saponification is the hydrolysis of esters in the presence of a base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
- It results in the formation of a carboxylate ion and an alcohol
- Saponification is commonly used in the production of soaps from fats and oils
- Example: Saponification of triglycerides to form glycerol and soap
- Electrophilic Addition to α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds
- α,β-Unsaturated carbonyl compounds have a double bond conjugated with a carbonyl group
- They undergo electrophilic addition reactions with nucleophiles
- The nucleophile attacks the electrophilic carbon of the carbonyl group, leading to the formation of a new bond
- Example: Addition of HCl to methyl vinyl ketone to form a chlorohydrin
- Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation
- Baeyer-Villiger oxidation is a reaction that converts ketones into esters or lactones
- It involves the insertion of an oxygen atom between the carbonyl group and a neighboring carbon
- The reaction is often carried out using a peroxyacid, such as m-chloroperbenzoic acid (m-CPBA)
- Example: Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone to form ε-caprolactone
- Claisen Condensation
- Claisen condensation is a reaction between two ester molecules or an ester and a ketone/aldehyde
- It involves the formation of a carbon-carbon bond and the elimination of an alcohol molecule
- The reaction is often catalyzed by a base, such as sodium ethoxide (NaOEt)
- Example: Claisen condensation between ethyl acetate and ethyl propanoate to form ethyl 3-oxobutanoate
- Decarboxylation
- Decarboxylation is the loss of a carbon dioxide molecule from a carboxylic acid or its derivative
- It is commonly observed in the heating or refluxing of the compounds
- The reaction leads to the formation of a lower molecular weight compound
- Example: Decarboxylation of benzoic acid to form benzene
- Fischer Esterification
- Fischer esterification is the reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol
- It involves the formation of an ester and the elimination of water
- The reaction is catalyzed by an acid, such as concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
- Example: Fischer esterification of acetic acid and methanol to form methyl acetate
- Gabriel Synthesis
- Gabriel synthesis is a method to prepare primary amines from phthalimide derivatives
- The reaction involves the nucleophilic substitution of a halogen atom in the phthalimide derivative
- The resulting intermediate undergoes hydrolysis to give the primary amine
- Example: Gabriel synthesis of 1-aminobutane from phthalimide
- Hell-Volhard-Zelinsky (HVZ) Reaction
- The Hell-Volhard-Zelinsky (HVZ) reaction is a method to convert carboxylic acids into α-halo acids
- It involves the bromination of the α-carbon of the carboxylic acid
- The reaction is carried out in the presence of phosphorus tribromide (PBr3)
- Example: HVZ reaction of acetic acid to form α-bromoacetic acid
- McMurry Reaction
- The McMurry reaction is a method to synthesize symmetrical or unsymmetrical alkanes
- It involves the coupling of two carbonyl compounds in the presence of a titanium-based reagent
- The reaction results in the formation of a carbon-carbon double bond
- Example: McMurry reaction of acetone and benzaldehyde to form dibenzyl
- Oxidative Cleavage
- Oxidative cleavage is a reaction that breaks a carbon-carbon double bond or a carbon-carbon triple bond
- It involves the addition of an oxidizing agent, such as ozone or potassium permanganate (KMnO4)
- The resulting products are aldehydes or ketones, depending on the reaction conditions
- Example: Oxidative cleavage of cyclohexene to form adipic acid
- Arene Diazonium Salts
- Arene diazonium salts are compounds containing a diazonium group (-N≡N+) attached to an aromatic ring
- They are versatile intermediates in organic synthesis, capable of undergoing various reactions
- Examples of reactions include nucleophilic substitution, Sandmeyer reaction, and azo coupling
- Example: Formation of p-nitrophenol from p-nitroaniline via diazotization and hydrolysis