Which of the following statements is true regarding ketones?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following statements is true regarding ketones?
They can be oxidized to carboxylic acids.
They are more reactive than aldehydes.
They cannot form hydrogen bonds.
They have a higher boiling point than aldehydes.
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following statements is true regarding ketones?
Step 1: Understand what ketones are. Ketones are organic compounds that contain a carbonyl group (C=O) where the carbon is bonded to two other carbon atoms.
Step 2: Learn about hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions that can occur between molecules when a hydrogen atom is bonded to a highly electronegative atom like oxygen.
Step 3: Compare ketones and aldehydes. Aldehydes have a carbonyl group at the end of the carbon chain, while ketones have it in the middle. This structural difference affects their ability to form hydrogen bonds.
Step 4: Recognize that ketones cannot form hydrogen bonds with themselves because they lack a hydrogen atom directly attached to the carbonyl carbon, unlike aldehydes.
Step 5: Conclude that because ketones cannot form hydrogen bonds with themselves, they have lower boiling points compared to aldehydes, which can form stronger hydrogen bonds.
