20. The Variety of Organic         Compounds   Previous PageNext Page
        Ethers, Aldehydes, and Ketones



Aldehydes and ketones are similar in properties, neutral but polar. Like ethers, they are good solvents for organic compounds; but unlike ethers, they are good solvents for organic compounds; but unlike ethers, they are at least partially miscible in water.

They resemble ethers in being low-boiling and volatile because of the absence of hydrogen bonds in the liquid, but differ form ethers in being chemically reactive.

The polar and exposed -C(O)-H and -C(O)- groups have a slightly negative oxygen and a slightly positive carbon connected by a double bond and, as mentioned in Chapter 19, are wide open to attack either by electrophiles or nucleophiles (right). Aldehydes and ketones are the starting materials for many organic syntheses.

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