Nursing Chemistry (NurChem)

Laboratory Report

Aldehydes and Ketones

Activity No. 11

Sapitula, Josheil Grace B.

Sayson, Lyka Rendzel M.
BSN1O; NurChem Lab B
First Semester, Session 1, SY 2021-20
September 25, 2020

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Nursing Chemistry (NurChem)
Laboratory Report

RATIONALE
This activity on Aldehydes and Ketones is to be able to test the aldehydes and the
ketones which involves the properties and characteristics of its reaction to
different substance and reagents. It is intended to also differentiate the two, with
the presence of carbonyl groups in aldehydes which is easily oxidized to carboxylic
acids whereas carbonyl groups contained by ketones doesn’t oxidized easily. Moreover,
this activity is important as it aims to determine the presence of aldehydes and
ketones to a certain organic compound.

Aldehydes and Ketones when combined with other functional groups are widely to be
essential for nature. Both has its certain part in most of industrial process
involving the wide-range on plants, animals, microorganisms and humans, because of
their chemical properties, both are applied in different sectors such as
pharmaceutical, food, fragrance and cosmetics. There are a lot of applications for
the two, for aldehydes, using its basic compound which is formaldehyde can be for
testing of drugs and as for ketone, is acetone that can be used for medicinal
purposes such as chemical peeling procedures as well for acne treatments.

The following are the objectives for this activity:

1. Differentiate carbonyl compounds from the other classes of organic compounds.

2. Test to distinguish aldehydes from ketones.
3. Know which substance was observed to have a positive result to each of the
different test performed.

DATA INTERPRETATION

Data No. 1

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Interpretation: In this data is the tests for carbonyl groups, two tests were
performed, which are 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine and sodium bisulfite test. In 2,4-
Dinitrophenylhydrazine test, all test samples formed a yellow, orange or orange-red
precipitate , knowing that the test result to positive when yellow, orange or orange-
red precipitate are formed. For sodium bisulfite, benzaldehyde was observed to form
more white precipitate as it is test to positive result for sodium bisulfite test.

Data No. 2

Interpretation: In this data, it involves the different test for aldehydes which are
Schiff’s,Tollen’s and Fehling’s tests as it is to determine the presence of
aldehyde and ketone. In Schiff’s test,only formalin substance has change its color
which becomes violet and others remained its color. In Tollen’s test, 5% glucose and
fructose has formed shiny and metallic on the surface of the test tube. In Fehling’s
test, only the acetone has resembled the color of the test reagents. These tests are
performed based on the oxidation of aldehydes to a respective carboxylic acid. The
aldehyde’s carbon-hydrogen bond are more oxidized than of carbon-carbon bond of the
ketones.

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Nursing Chemistry (NurChem)
Laboratory Report

Data No. 3

Interpretation: In this data, it tested for methyl ketones wherein two test were
performed, the sodium nitroprusside test where both acetone and ethylmethylketone
changes its color to dark red or wine-red which is considered to be positive as
sodium nitroprusside result and in Iodoform test, the acetone has only formed the
yellow crystalline precipitate as it is considered to be the positive result unlike
ethylmethylketone and ethyl acetate which formed light yellow and a very little
yellow precipitate.

Data No. 4

Interpretation: In this data is the test for differentiating aldehydes from

carbohydrates using the Molisch’s Test, where the glucose has observed to form a
purple/violet ring as a division for two layers of liquid confirms the presence of
carbohydrates in the substance.

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Nursing Chemistry (NurChem)
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ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

1. Write all possible structural formulas for all the aldehyde and ketone
isomers having the molecular formula C5H10O.

ANSWER:

C5H10O has a total of 7 isomers. Four of them are aldehyde and three of
them are ketone. The 4 aldehydes of C5H10O are: pentanal, 2-methylbutanal, 3-
methylbutanal and 2,2-dimethylpropanal.The 3 ketones of C5H10O are: 2-
pentanone (pentan-2-one), 3-pentanone (pentan-3-one) and 3-methyl-2-butanone
(3-methylbutan-2-one). The names in the brackets are the newer and more
preferred IUPAC nomenclatures.

2. Explain the reactivity of aldehydes and ketones towards nucleophilic

reagents.

ANSWER: Aldehydes are usually more reactive toward nucleophilic

substitutions than ketones because of both steric and electronic effects.
In aldehydes, the relatively small hydrogen atom is attached to one side of
the carbonyl group, while a larger R group is affixed to the other side. In
ketones, however, R groups are attached to both sides of the carbonyl group.
Thus, steric hindrance is less in aldehydes than in ketones.

3. Give the principles involved in the following:

a.2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine Test

ANSWER: 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, abbreviated as 2,4-DNP, is a

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Nursing Chemistry (NurChem)
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nitrogen nucleophile that reacts with aldehydes and ketones to form a red-
orange precipitate of 2,4-dinitrophenlyhydrazone.This reaction is used
for the purpose of differentiating carbonyl compounds from other organic
compounds.A positive 2,4-DNP test means, that your unknown contains either
an aldehyde or ketone, while a negative test tells you that it does not.
When an aldehyde or a ketone is placed in a 2,4-DNP solution,a bright
yellow-orange or red solid results,and this is what indicates a positive
test.If no aldehyde or ketone is present, no bright colored solid is
observed and the solution remains colorless.

b.Sodium Bisulfite Test

ANSWER: With sodium bisulfite,aldehydes and methyl ketones will form a

water-soluble crystalline bisulfite addition product.The mechanism
involves the nucleophilic addition of the sulfur atom to the carbonyl
carbon.A formation of crystalline precipitate confirms a carbonyl group.

c.Tollen’s Test

ANSWER: The Tollen’s test is also known as the Silver Mirror test.In
this test,the ammoniacal silver nitrate is reduced to free silver
which adheres to the glass walls of the container to form a silver
mirror.The existence of aldehydes is indicated by the appearance of the
shiny silver mirror.

d.Fehling’s Test

ANSWER: Fehling's test is used to differentiate between water-

soluble aldehyde and ketone functional groups, and as a test for
monosaccharides.It is positive only to aliphatic aldehydes,unlike the
Tollen’s test that can detect both aliphatic and aromatic

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Nursing Chemistry (NurChem)
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aldehydes.The appearance of red precipitate confirms the presence of an

aldehydic group.

4. Why does glucose give a positive result for Fehling’s Test?

ANSWER: As a generic test for monosaccharides, Fehling 's test may be used.
This would give a positive result for aldose monosaccharides (due to the
oxidizable aldehydes) but also for ketosemonosaccharides, as they are
converted by the base of the reagent into aldoses, and then give a positive
result.

5. What is the clinical significance of the Sodium Nitroprusside Test?

ANSWER: In clinical practice, Sodium nitroprusside has been used for 40

years as an arterial and venous vasodilator. This reacts with physiologic
sulfhydryl groups to release nitric oxide, causing rapid vasodilation, and
acutely lowering blood pressure. It is used clinically in cardiac surgery,
hypertensive crises, heart failure, vascular surgery, pediatric surgery,
and other acute hemodynamic applications.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the activity on Aldehydes and Ketones is intended to be able to

differentiate the two through running different test to the test samples. It also
aims to determine the presence of aldehydes and ketones in each substances given. In
each of the test that were performed, students were able to distinguish or observe
the samples who has the positive result to the different reagents. And lastly, we
were also able to define the essence of the two carbonyl groups especially in the
field of medicine such as used for drug testing and treatments.

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Natural Sciences Department, College of Science and Information Technology, Ateneo de Zamboanga University
Nursing Chemistry (NurChem)
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REFERENCES

BYJU.(2020). Test for Aldehydes and Ketones.

Retrieved from https://byjus.com/chemistry/tests-for-aldehydes-and-
ketones/#:~:text=The%20following%20tests%20are%20used,presence%20of%20aldehyde
s%20and%20ketones.&text=The%20difference%20between%20ketone%20and,ketones%20ar
e%20not%20oxidised%20easily.
Chemistry.(n.d.).Uses of Aldehydes and Ketones.
Retrieved from https://www.toppr.com/guides/chemistry/aldehydes-ketones-
carboxylic-acids/uses-of-aldehydes-and-
ketones/#:~:text=Aldehydes%20and%20ketones%20in%20combination,microorganisms%2
C%20animals%2C%20and%20humans.
ChemSimplified.(2019,Jan 19).Constitutional isomers of C5H10O | Aldehyde & Ketone -
Dr K. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5VjLxrFzR8
CliffNotes.(n.d.). Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones.
Retrieved from https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/chemistry/organic-
chemistry-ii/aldehydes-and-ketones/reactions-of-aldehydes-and-ketones
Study.com.(n.d.).(2017,Jun 7). What is 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine? - Structure &
Hazards.Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-2-4-
dinitrophenylhydrazine-structure-hazards.html
Randy,S.(n.d.).Fehling Test.
Retrieved from https://chemdemos.uoregon.edu/demos/Fehling-Test#

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Nursing Chemistry (NurChem)
Laboratory Report

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