- Carbonyl group is C=O. Has higher BP than hydrocarbons and ethers, and lower FP than alcohols.
- Ketones have 3 carbons singly bonded to each other. The middle carbon is the carbonyl carbon. That means the other two carbons on either side are the alpha carbons.
- Special carbon designation: the first adjacent carbon attached to the carbonyl carbon is the alpha carbon; the secondmost adjacent carbon is the beta carbon; the third-most is the gamma carbon; the fourth-most is the delta carbon.
- Naming: find the longest chain containing the carbonyl carbon and ketone; the —e is changed to —one. Number the carbonyl carbon with the lowest possible number.
- If the aldehyde or ketone has the hydroxyl and/or amine group then the hydroxyl substituent gets called hydroxy— and the amine group gets called amino—.
Common Species to Know
Propanone (acetone).
