How do aldehydes and ketones differ from alcohol?

1 Answer
anor277
Sep 7, 2016

An alternative means of differentiation is to consider the degree of oxidation of the ipso carbon.

Explanation:

Aldehydes and ketones are the oxidation products of alcohols, and we could assign formal oxdation states.

The oxidation state of the ipso carbon in #H_3C-CH_2OH# is #-I#; in #H_3C-C(=O)H#, #+I#, and in #H_3C-C(=O)OH#, #+III#. Of course #+III# represents its maximum oxidation state (#CO_2# can be formed, but here the chain is broken).

By comparison, we could assign the formal oxidation numbers of carbon in say propane or butane: #H_3stackrel(""^(-)III)C-stackrel(""^(-)II)CH_2CH_3#, or #H_3stackrel(""^(-)III)C-stackrel(""^(-)II)CH_2stackrel(""^(-)II)CH_2CH_3#

Certainly we use oxidizing agents to synthesize ketones and aldehydes from alcohols.

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