What are ketones?

Everyone has ketones, whether you have diabetes or not. Ketones are
chemicals made in your liver.
You produce them when you don't have enough insulin in your body to turn sugar
(or glucose) into energy. You need another source, so your body uses fat instead.
Your liver turns this fat into ketones, a type of acid, and sends them into your
bloodstream. Your muscles and other tissues can then use them for fuel.
For a person without diabetes, this process doesn’t become an issue. When you
have diabetes, however, you can build up too many ketones in your blood -- and
too many ketones can become life-threatening.
General Formula

The general formula for a ketone is RC(=O)R' where R and R' are alkyl
or aryl groups.

Examples
Uses of Ketones
The most common ketone is acetone which is an excellent solvent for a number of
plastics and synthetic fibres.
In the household, acetone is used as a nail paint remover and paint thinner.
In medicine, it is used in chemical peeling and for acne treatments.
Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), chemically butanone, is a common solvent. It is used
in the production of textiles, varnishes, plastics, paint remover, paraffin wax, etc.
MEK is also used as a welding agent for plastics due to its dissolving properties.
Cyclohexanone is another important ketone which is primarily used in the
production of nylon.

Physical and chemical Properties of

Ketones
Physical Properties
Boiling Points

The boiling point of aldehydes and ketones is higher than that of non-polar
compounds (hydrocarbons) but lower than those of corresponding alcohols and
carboxylic acids as aldehydes and ketones do not form H-bonds with themselves.
Solubility

The lower members (up to 4 carbons) of aldehydes and ketones are soluble in water
due to H-bonding. The higher members do not dissolve in water because the
hydrocarbon part is larger and resists the formation of hydrogen bonds with water
molecules.

Chemical Properties
Both aldehydes and ketones contain carbonyl group, therefore they undergo same
reactions like nucleophilic addition reactions, oxidation, reduction, halogenation etc.

− Nucleophilic Addition Reactions

in Aldehydes and Ketones

Aldehydes are more susceptible to nucleophilic attack than ketones as described

below :

Reactivity of Aliphatic Aldehydes and

Ketones
Aliphatic aldehydes are more reactive than ketones because of the following reasons
:

1. Inductive effect : Alkyl groups are electron donating in nature (i.e., show +I-
Effect). Hence, the presence of alkyl groups attached to the carbonyl group
increases the electron density on the carbonyl carbon thereby decreases its
reactivity towards nucleophilic addition reactions. Therefore, the order of
reactivity is :
 2. Steric hinderance : The more the number and the bigger the size of the alkyl
group, the more difficult for a nucleophile to attack due to steric hinderance
(crowding). Hence, the order of reactivity is :

Reactivity of Aromatic Aldehydes and Ketones

Aromatic aldehydes and ketones exhibit electron donating resonance which
increases the electron density on the carbonyl carbon.

Because of this reason, the carbonyl carbon becomes less electrophilic, and hence is
less susceptible to nucleophilic attack.

Aromatic aldehydes, however, are more reactive than aromatic ketones. The
reactivity of aromatic aldehydes and ketones follows the order :

Oxidation Reaction

Aldehydes can be easily oxidised to carboxylic acids due to the presence of a

hydrogen atom on carbonyl group which can be easily converted to OH group. Since
ketones do not have any hydrogen atom attached to the carbonyl group, they cannot
be oxidised easily, and therefore, strong oxidising agents are required for this
purpose.
Reduction of Aldehydes and Ketones

Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced to a variety of compounds such as alcohols,

hydrocarbons etc.