The polarized Carbonyl group converts the aldehydes into polar substances , so they have higher boiling points than the non-polar compounds of similar molecular weight. This results in that they will have to be heated more to make them boil. The IUPAC names of the aldehydes follow a common pattern: the longest chain containing the carbonyl group -CHO is considered as the parent structure and is named after replacing the “or” ending of the alkane with “al”. The position of a radical or substituent is indicated by a number, the carbonyl carbon always remaining as Carbon 1.

The aldehydes that have a branched chain in their R, will take the name of the longest chain formed. The rest will be a substituent. The common names of the aldehydes are derived from the corresponding carboxylic acids . Only the ending “ico” is replaced by aldehyde, and the word acid is eliminated. The simplest Aldehyde, Formaldehyde (H 2 C = O) tends to polymerize , that is, the individual molecules join together to form a compound of high molecular mass. In this polymerization, much heat is released and is often explosive, so formaldehyde is usually prepared and stored in aqueous solution, to reduce its concentration.įormaldehyde, a very unpleasant odor liquid is a raw material in the polymer industry. In the laboratory, it is used as a preservative for dead animals. Aldehydes of higher molecular mass, such as cinnamic aldehyde or butyraldehyde, have a pleasant smell and are used in the manufacture of perfumes.Īldehydes are more reactive than ketones due to the fact that the carbonyl functional group is at the end of the chain of these. Ketones have the carbonyl group closed by the two radicals R. The functional group of aldehydes is the carbonyl group C = O . In an Aldehyde there is at least one Hydrogen atom attached to the carbon of the Carbonyl group. Formaldehyde, the simplest aldehyde, has two hydrogens bound to the Carbonyl group, its final formula being: H 2 C = O. It also has the commercial name of Formol.Īlso linked to the Carbon of the Carbonyl group, is the radical R , which may be an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain or an aromatic ring . Aldehydes are substances that are part of the great Organic Chemistry , having a general formula RCHO . Together with the Ketones, which are RRCO-shaped, they are called Carbonyl Compounds .

Aldehyde functional group