Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A ketone is an organic compound characterized by the presence of a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two other carbon atoms. It is one of the most common functional groups in organic chemistry, found in sugars, fragrances, and many solvents.
Hydrocarbons that contain only single bonds between carbon atoms, serving as the backbone for many organic compounds.
Carbonyl Group: A functional group consisting of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom, central to various organic compounds including ketones and aldehydes.
A specific grouping of atoms within molecules that have characteristic properties and reactivities, responsible for most of the chemical behavior of the molecule