The carbonyl carbon of an aldehyde or ketone is attacked by nucleophiles because
- A. it carries a partial positive charge, oxygen being more electronegative
- B. it carries a partial negative charge
- C. it has a lone pair of electrons
- D. it is bonded to hydrogen
Explanation
The carbon to oxygen double bond is strongly polarised towards oxygen, leaving the carbon electron deficient and open to attack by a species with a lone pair. This is why the characteristic reaction of the carbonyl group is nucleophilic addition, in contrast with the electrophilic addition of alkenes, whose double bond is non polar. The oxygen carries the lone pairs and the partial negative charge.
Related questions
Aldehydes are more reactive than ketones towards nucleophilic addition because in a ketone
Fehling's solution is reduced to a red precipitate of copper one oxide by
Aldehydes and ketones both react with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine to give
Which compound gives a positive iodoform test?
Aldehydes and ketones have lower boiling points than alcohols of similar molar mass because