Chemistry › Section T · Organic chemistry › Topic T.3
Aldehydes, ketones, acids, and esters
A carbon double-bonded to an oxygen, the carbonyl group, sits at the heart of four families: aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and esters. Between them they give us vinegar, nail-polish remover, fruit flavours, fats and polyester shirts.
In this topic
- The carbonyl group
- Aldehydes and ketones
- Oxidation ladder
- Carboxylic acids
- Esters and esterification
- Worked example: making ethyl ethanoate
- Fats, oils and polyesters
- Boiling points across the families
- Worked example: two isomers of C₃H₆O₂
- Worked example: why old aspirin smells of vinegar
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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