Ketone facts for kids

Structure of a ketone

A ketone is an organic compound that has a carbon atom with a double bond to an oxygen atom (this is called carbonyl functional group). This carbon atom must also have single bonds to two other carbon atoms.

A ketone can be produced, by oxidating a secondary alcohol.

A ketone will show a strong peak between 1690 and 1715cm^-1 using infrared spectroscopy.

Images for kids

Representative ketones, from the left: acetone, a common solvent; oxaloacetate, an intermediate in the metabolism of sugars; acetylacetone in its (mono) enol form (the enol highlighted in blue); cyclohexanone, precursor to nylon; muscone, an animal scent; and tetracycline, an antibiotic.
The Haller-Bauer reaction occurs between a non-enolizable ketone and a strong amide base. In this prototypical example involving benzophenone, the tetrahedral intermediate expels phenyl anion to give benzamide and benzene as the organic products