Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
An aldehyde is an organic compound containing a carbonyl group (C=O) with at least one hydrogen atom attached to the carbon of the carbonyl group. They are characterized by the presence of the CHO group, where R can be an alkyl or aryl group.
Related terms
Carbonyl Group: A functional group consisting of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom (C=O).
Nucleophilic Addition Reaction: A type of chemical reaction where a nucleophile forms a bond with an electrophile, common in reactions involving aldehydes and ketones.
An organic compound containing a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two alkyl or aryl groups, differentiated from aldehydes by their lack of hydrogen atoms directly attached to the carbonyl carbon