What is the name of the product made from acetone and 4-methylbenzaldehyde in an aldol condensation?
You get benzalcetone or 4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one according to my copy of Morrison and Boyd.
The product made from acetone and 4-methylbenzaldehyde in an aldol condensation is called 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one. To determine the name, you need to understand the reaction involved and the resulting compound's structure.
In an aldol condensation, two carbonyl compounds (such as aldehydes or ketones) react to form a β-hydroxy carbonyl compound. The reaction involves the condensation of the alpha hydrogen of one carbonyl compound with the carbonyl group of another. In this case, acetone (a ketone) and 4-methylbenzaldehyde (an aldehyde) will undergo a condensation reaction to form a β-hydroxy ketone.
To determine the name of the product, you start by examining the reactant structures. Acetone has the structure:
CH3
|
CH3-C=O
4-methylbenzaldehyde has the structure:
H
|
CH3-C=O
|
H
When these compounds react, the hydrogen from the alpha position of acetone is removed and reacts with the carbonyl group of 4-methylbenzaldehyde. The resulting structure is:
CH3
|
CH2-C=O
|
H
This molecule is called 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one. The name is derived from the presence of a methyl group (4-methyl), and a double bond (3-penten) in the carbon chain, and a ketone group (2-one) at the second carbon position.
Remember, the name of the product is based on the structure and functional groups present in the molecule. By analyzing the reactants and the reaction mechanism, you can determine the name of the product.