Acetone

Definition

Acetone is a simple organic compound with the chemical formula CH3COCH3. It is a colorless, volatile, flammable liquid that is widely used as a solvent and in various chemical processes. Acetone is a key term that is relevant in the context of several important organic chemistry topics.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Acetone is the simplest example of a ketone, a class of carbonyl compounds with the general formula R1COR2, where R1 and R2 are alkyl or aryl groups.
2. Acetone can be produced by the oxidation of 2-propanol (isopropyl alcohol) or the decarboxylation of calcium acetate.
3. Acetone is a common solvent used in the synthesis of various organic compounds, including the preparation of Grignard reagents.
4. Acetone can undergo nucleophilic addition reactions, such as the hydration reaction to form 2-propanol, and the reaction with Grignard reagents to form tertiary alcohols.
5. The carbonyl carbon in acetone is susceptible to nucleophilic attack, which is important in the formation of imines and enamines through reactions with amines.

Review Questions

• Explain the role of acetone as a functional group in organic chemistry.
  • As a ketone, the carbonyl carbon in acetone is an electrophilic center that can undergo nucleophilic addition reactions. This makes acetone an important precursor and intermediate in the synthesis of various organic compounds, such as alcohols, imines, and enamines. The reactivity of the carbonyl group is central to many of the transformations and mechanisms studied in organic chemistry.
• Describe how acetone can be used in the oxidation of alkenes to form carbonyl compounds.
  • In the context of the oxidation of alkenes, acetone can be formed as a product through the cleavage of the carbon-carbon double bond. This oxidative cleavage reaction, known as the ozonolysis reaction, involves the initial formation of an unstable intermediate called a molozonide, which then rearranges to form an ozonide. The ozonide can then be reduced, often using zinc dust in acetic acid, to yield two carbonyl compounds, one of which is acetone.
• Discuss the importance of acetone in the SN2 reaction mechanism and the formation of alcohols from carbonyl compounds.
  • Acetone is relevant to the SN2 reaction mechanism because it can be used as a solvent in these reactions, where the small size and high polarity of the acetone molecule can help facilitate the backside attack of the nucleophile on the electrophilic carbon. Additionally, the reduction of carbonyl compounds, such as acetone, to form alcohols is an important transformation in organic chemistry. This reduction can be achieved through the use of hydride donors, such as sodium borohydride or Grignard reagents, which add to the carbonyl carbon to form the corresponding alcohol.

Related terms

Carbonyl Compound: A class of organic compounds containing a carbon-oxygen double bond, which includes aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and esters.

Nucleophilic Addition: A type of organic reaction where a nucleophile attacks the electrophilic carbon of a carbonyl compound, resulting in the addition of the nucleophile to the carbonyl group.

Tautomerism: The phenomenon where a compound exists in two or more structural isomeric forms, which are in equilibrium with each other.