In which of these organic compounds is an oxygen atom double bonded to a carbon somewhere other than the end of a carbon chain?
alkane
alcohol
ketone
aldehyde
Poorly worded question. Ketone and aldehyde are my choices. However, an alcohol can also be an answer, but a think the author of the question is referring to the functional group it's self. Carboxylic acid is an alcohol that also has a c=o bond, which is why this a poorly worded question in my opinion.
Does this mean I should choose alcohol?
To determine which of these organic compounds has an oxygen atom double bonded to a carbon somewhere other than the end of a carbon chain, we need to understand the structure of each compound.
1. Alkane: Alkanes are hydrocarbons consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms, and they do not contain any double bonds or oxygen atoms. Therefore, alkane can be ruled out.
2. Alcohol: Alcohols consist of a hydroxyl (-OH) functional group attached to a carbon atom. Although alcohols contain an oxygen atom bonded to a carbon, the oxygen atom is always at the end of the carbon chain. Hence, alcohols can be eliminated.
3. Ketone: Ketones have a carbonyl group (-C=O) within the carbon chain. The oxygen atom in a ketone is double bonded to a carbon atom, and it is located in the middle of the carbon chain. Considering this, ketone is a possible answer.
4. Aldehyde: Aldehydes also contain a carbonyl group (-C=O). However, in aldehydes, the carbonyl group is always bonded to a terminal carbon atom at the end of the carbon chain. Therefore, aldehydes can be eliminated.
Based on this analysis, the organic compound in which an oxygen atom is double bonded to a carbon somewhere other than the end of a carbon chain is a ketone.