Carbonyl group
– suffix al- Common names include * formaldehyde for methanal (R = H)* Acetyldehyde for ethanal ( R = CH3)* Propionaldehyde for propanal (R = CH3CH2)
The carbonyl group is a functional group consisting of a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom (C=O). It is a very important functional group in organic chemistry and can be found in a wide variety of molecules including aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amides, and many others.
One of the important characteristics of the carbonyl group is that it imparts polarity to the molecule it is a part of, making it more reactive in some cases. The electronegative oxygen atom in the carbonyl group attracts electrons from the carbon atom, resulting in a partial negative charge on oxygen and a partial positive charge on carbon.
Aldehydes and ketones are two common classes of compounds that contain a carbonyl group. In aldehydes, the carbonyl group is always located at the end of a carbon chain, while in ketones it is located in the middle of the chain. The reactivity of aldehydes and ketones is due to the fact that the carbonyl carbon has a partial positive charge and can react with nucleophiles such as water, alcohols, and amines, leading to the formation of a new bond.
Carboxylic acids and esters also contain a carbonyl group, but in these molecules it is also attached to a functional group containing an oxygen atom. In carboxylic acids, the carbonyl group is part of a carboxyl group (COOH), while in esters it is part of an ester group (RCOOR). The reactivity of carboxylic acids and esters is due to the presence of a second polarized bond between the carbonyl carbon and the oxygen atom of the functional group, making these compounds very susceptible to hydrolysis reactions in the presence of water.
Overall, the carbonyl group is one of the most important functional groups in organic chemistry due to its reactivity and prevalence in a wide variety of organic molecules.
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