Practicing Success
Which of the following is the least soluble in water? |
Methanal Ethanal Pentanal Propanone |
Pentanal |
The lower aldehydes and ketones are miscible in water in all proportions due to the ability of the polar carbonyl group to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules. However, the solubility rapidly decreases as the length of the alkyl chain increases. Precisely, aldehydes and ketones with more than 4 carbon atoms are practically insoluble in water. |