Properties

The molecules of ketones are polar, at least the small ones are. The large ones are slightly polar because the polar carbonyl group becomes progressively less dominant as the number of carbon atoms increases. They have dipole-dipole intermolecular bonds. They do not have hydrogen bonding because they do not have a hydrogen atom bonded to the oxygen atom. The small ones, up to about five carbon atoms, are soluble in water. As the carbon chains get longer, the molecules become less soluble in water.

Models of acetone and 4-octanone. [63mod13.JPG]

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