Abstract

Aldehydes and ketones constitute an important class of organic compounds containing the carbonyl group. An aldehyde has the structure RCH(=O) while a ketone has the structure R₂C(=O). where R may be an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or aryl group. In aldehyde, one hydrogen atom is attached to the carbonyl group, while in ketone no hydrogen is bound to the carbonyl group. In formaldehyde, two hydrogen atoms are bound to the carbonyl group. Thus, aldehydes and ketones are compounds of closely related classes exhibiting many similar chemical properties.