
An alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl compound is distinguished by the fact that the carbon-carbon double bond is conjugated with the carbon-oxygen double bond or the carbon-nitrogen triple bond.
Full Answer
What are α β unsaturated carbonyl compounds?
α,β-Unsaturated carbonyl compounds are an important class of carbonyl compounds with the general structure (O=CR)−C α =C β -R; for example enones and enals. In these compounds the carbonyl group is conjugated with an alkene (hence the adjective unsaturated ), from which they derive special properties.
How many alkyl groups can be added to a beta unsaturated carbonyl?
In the case of α, β unsaturated carbonyls organocuprate reagents allow for an 1,4 addition of an alkyl group. As we will see later Grignard and Organolithium reagents add alkyl groups 1,2 to α, β unsaturated carbonyls
What are Enones or α β unsaturated carbonyls?
These conjugated carbonyl are called enones or α, β unsaturated carbonyls. A resonance description of this transmission is shown below. From this formula it should be clear that nucleophiles may attack either at the carbonyl carbon, as for any aldehyde, ketone or carboxylic acid derivative, or at the beta-carbon.

What is the meaning of alpha beta unsaturated compound?
An α,β-unsaturated acid is a type of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound that consists of an alkene conjugated to a carboxylic acid. The simplest example is acrylic acid (CH2=CHCO2H). These compounds are prone to polymerization, giving rise to the large area of acrylate plastics.
What is alpha beta unsaturated carboxylic acid?
alpha,beta-unsaturated monocarboxylic acid. Definition. A monocarboxylic acid in which the carbon of the carboxy group is directly attached to a C=C or C≡C bond. Stars. This entity has been manually annotated by the ChEBI Team.
What does alpha beta unsaturated ketone?
An organic compound that can be classified as an alpha beta unsaturated ketone has two important features: it has a carbon-oxygen double bond (the ketone functional group, generally called a carbonyl) and. it has a carbon-carbon double bond directly adjacent to the carbonyl group.
What is alpha beta unsaturated aldehyde?
Definition: An aldehyde of general formula R(1)R(2)C=CR(3)-CH=O. or RC#C-CH=O. in which the aldehydic C=O. function is conjugated to an unsaturated C-C bond at the alpha,beta position.
What are alpha and beta compounds?
In organic chemistry, the alpha carbon (Cα) refers to the first carbon atom that attaches to a functional group, such as a carbonyl. The second carbon atom is called the beta carbon (Cβ), and the naming system continues in Greek alphabetical order.
What are unsaturated carboxylic acids?
Unsaturated acids exhibit chemical properties expected of compounds that contain both a COOH group and one or more carbon-carbon double bonds.
How do you make alpha beta unsaturated?
1:114:5414.01 alpha,beta-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAddition process h. And the nucleophile add to the one and two carbons. And here it's carbon twoMoreAddition process h. And the nucleophile add to the one and two carbons. And here it's carbon two that serves as the electrophile. In a 1/4.
Is ketone saturated or unsaturated?
Lest there be confusion, a ketone itself is a site of unsaturation; that is, it can be hydrogenated.
What is a saturated and unsaturated ketone?
In Unsaturated aldehydes/ketones the C −O bond has significant single bond character associated with double bond characters(i.e. partial double bond character), whereas, saturated aldehydes/ketones the C −O bond has almost pure double bond character.
What is alpha beta unsaturated aldehyde and ketone?
Definition. α,β-Unsaturatedaldehydes and ketones are aldehydes and ketones which are conjugated with a double bond. The α-position is defined as the carbon atom next to the carbonyl group, while the β-position is the carbon atom two bonds removed (Fig. 1).
Is aldehyde saturated or unsaturated?
Aldehydes are compounds with a terminal carbonyl (HC=O) moiety, and are either unsaturated, that is, containing one or more carbon–carbon double bonds, or saturated.
What are dicarbonyl compounds?
A dicarbonyl is a molecule containing two carbonyl (C=O) groups.
What are anhydrides in chemistry?
What is Anhydride? Anhydride literally means 'without water. It can be defined as the chemical compound formed by eliminating water from another compound. Anhydride reacts with water to produce either base or an acid.
Which is a carboxylic acid?
carboxylic acid, any of a class of organic compounds in which a carbon (C) atom is bonded to an oxygen (O) atom by a double bond and to a hydroxyl group (―OH) by a single bond.
What is reformatsky reaction give its mechanism?
According to the general definition, the Reformatsky reaction is defined as an organic reaction that is used to convert ketone or an aldehyde and α-half ester to a β-hydroxy ester by using metallic zinc and acid workup.
What is conjugated ketone?
In a conjugated system, electrons are delocalized with the alternate single and double bond. Lone pairs can also be part of the system. Conjugated ketone has a C=C unit attached directly to carbon of the carbonyl group.
Alpha-beta unsaturated carbonyl compounds
The carbonyl compounds having unsaturation in alpha-beta ( α-β) positions, where the unsaturation corresponds to double bond are termed α-β unsaturated carbonyl compounds. They have a general structure of ( O=C-Cα = Cβ– ). These compounds are more susceptible to being attacked on β carbon rather than the carbonyl carbon itself, the usual case.
Enones
Enones are chemical compounds with alpha-beta unsaturation along with a carbonyl group. The pi electrons of the alkene functional group and that of carbonyl are in conjugation with each other bringing excess stability.
Enals
Enals are the aldehydic derivative of the carbonyl compounds having alpha-beta unsaturation. The resonance of carbonyl and alkene pi electrons also exists in enals but the difference is in the environment of the carbonyl group. The side of carbonyl-carbon containing alkyls in enones contains only hydrogen in enals.
Further α-β unsaturated carbonyl compounds
Cyclohexenone, a versatile intermediate important for the pharmaceutical industry
Key takeaway (s)
Alpha-beta unsaturated ketone and aldehydes have resonance among pi electrons of carbonyl and alkene carbons.
Concepts Berg
The Pd/C (Palladium charcoal) catalyzed hydrogenation can reduce alpha-beta unsaturated carbonyl compounds.

Overview
Classifications
α,β-Unsaturated carbonyl compounds can be subclassified according to the nature of the carbonyl and alkene groups.
• Parent α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyls
• Methyl vinyl ketone, the simplest α,β-unsaturated ketone
Reactions of α,β-unsaturated carbonyls
α,β-Unsaturated carbonyls are electrophilic at both the carbonyl carbon as well as the β-carbon. Depending on conditions, either site is attacked by nucleophiles. Additions to the alkene are called conjugate additions. One type of conjugate addition is the Michael addition, which is used commercially in the conversion of mesityl oxide into isophorone. Owing to their extended conjugation, α,β-unsaturated carbonyls are prone to polymerization. In terms of industrial scale, …
α,β-Unsaturated thioesters
α,β-Unsaturated thioesters are intermediates in several enzymatic processes. Two prominent examples are coumaroyl-coenzyme A and crotonyl-coenzyme A. They arise by the action of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is a required co-factor.
Safety
Since α,β-unsaturated compounds are electrophiles and alkylating agents, many α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds are toxic. The endogenous scavenger compound glutathione naturally protects from toxic electrophiles in the body. Some drugs (amifostine, N-acetylcysteine) containing thiol groups may protect from such harmful alkylation.
See also
• 2-alkenal reductase
• Enol
Alpha-Beta Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds
- The carbonyl compounds having unsaturation in alpha-beta (α-β) positions, where the unsaturation corresponds to double bond are termed α-β unsaturated carbonyl compounds. They have a general structure of ( O=C-Cα = Cβ– ). These compounds are more susceptible to being attacked on β carbon rather than the carbonyl carbon itself, the usual case. The r...
Enones
- Enones are chemical compounds with alpha-beta unsaturation along with a carbonyl group. The pi electrons of the alkene functional group and that of carbonyl are in conjugation with each other bringing excess stability.
Enals
- Enals are the aldehydic derivative of the carbonyl compounds having alpha-beta unsaturation. The resonance of carbonyl and alkene pi electrons also exists in enals but the difference is in the environment of the carbonyl group. The side of carbonyl-carbon containing alkyls in enones contains only hydrogen in enals.
Further α-β Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds
- Methyl acrylate, the methyl ester of acrylic acid Acryl amide, a precursor of polyacrylamide Maleic acid or cis betendioic acid Fumaric acid, a food additive and a precursor to the polymeric resins Acryloyl chloride, a monomer, and a chemical intermediate Chalcone, a biologically important α-βunsaturated ketone E-Crotonaldehyde, a ubiquitous environmental pollutant Cyclohexenone, a …
Key Takeaway
- Alpha-beta unsaturated ketone and aldehydes have resonance among pi electrons of carbonyl and alkene carbons.
Concepts Berg
- Reduction of alpha-beta unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The Pd/C (Palladium charcoal) catalyzed hydrogenation can reduce alpha-beta unsaturated carbonyl compounds. Alpha-beta unsaturated aldehyde reactions Alpha-beta unsaturated aldehydes are very reactive electrophilic groups. They react with nucleophilic carbons in no time. Enone reduction Several catalysts can …