Question

Choose compounds that are classified as ether, aldehyde, ketone, ester, and alcohol and report on how these compounds are used and then find a way in which the structure of the molecules influences it's function and also write the condensed structural formula of a simple molecule with an ether, aldehyde, ketone, ester, or alcohol functional group.

Answer 1

Ethers

These compounds have oxygen as heteroatom.

General formula is R-O-R'

where R and R' can be same or different. R, R' = alkyl, aryl etc.

Simplest molecule is methoxymethane.

Function: Ethers are extremely usable as solvents because C-O-C bond is very unreactive

These are angular in shape and polarity depends on the R and R' groups.

Aldehyde

These compounds have oxygen in its structure and has -C=O group as a characteristic group.

General formula is R-CHO

where R is alkyl, aryl or H.

Simplest molecule is formaldehyde.

Function: Aldehydes are extremely reactive towards nucleophillic addition because of electron withdrawing nature of carbonyl group.

These are planar in structure and have bond angle of 120^o.

Double bond on carbonyl makes it electron rich due to pi bonds and has attracts the nucleophiles.

Ketones

These compounds have oxygen in its structure and has -C=O group as a characteristic group.

General formula is R-CO-R'

where R and R' is alkyl or aryl and can be same or different.

Simplest molecule is propanone with R and R' is methyl.

Function: Ketones are extremely reactive towards nucleophillic addition because of electron withdrawing nature of carbonyl group but are less reactive than aldehydes due to steric hinderance.

These are planar in structure and have bond angle of 120^o.

Double bond on carbonyl makes it electron rich due to pi bonds and has attracts the nucleophiles.

Ester

These compounds have oxygen in its structure and has -O-C=O group as a characteristic group.

General formula is RCOOR'

where R and R' can be same or different and is alkyl, aryl or H.

Simplest molecule is methylmethanoate.

Function: Esters exhibit moderate reactivity and undergo substitution reactions of OR' group.

Alcohols

These compounds have oxygen in its structure and has -OH group as a characteristic group.

General formula is ROH

where R is alkyl or aryl.

Simplest molecule is methanol.

Function: Alcohols are extremely reactive towards both electrophilic substitution of H and nucleophillic substitution of -OH group.

These are angular in structure.

Polarity of alcohols is due to shape and property of R group.