Understanding the Difference: Aldehydes vs. Ketones – Functional Groups and Terminality in Organic Compounds

– An aldehyde has a terminal functional group due to the one hydrogen- Ketone has two alkyl groups so it’s never a terminal group.

An aldehyde is a type of organic compound that contains a terminal functional group, which means it is located at the end of a carbon chain

An aldehyde is a type of organic compound that contains a terminal functional group, which means it is located at the end of a carbon chain. The terminal functional group in an aldehyde is called an aldehyde group, which consists of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and a hydrogen atom. This hydrogen atom is the terminal hydrogen, and it is what gives aldehydes their characteristic properties.

On the other hand, a ketone is another type of organic compound that contains a different functional group called a carbonyl group. The carbonyl group in a ketone consists of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom, but instead of a hydrogen atom, there are two alkyl (carbon-based) groups attached to the carbonyl carbon. Due to the presence of these two alkyl groups, a ketone cannot have a terminal functional group because it is always located within the carbon chain.

In summary, the distinction between aldehydes and ketones lies in their functional groups. Aldehydes have a terminal functional group with a hydrogen atom, while ketones have a carbonyl group with two alkyl groups attached and therefore are never terminal groups.

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