Butyraldehyde is an aldehyde with the chemical formula CH3CH2CH2CHO. It is a colorless, flammable liquid with a pungent odor, and is used as an industrial solvent and in the production of other chemicals.
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Butyraldehyde is the fourth member of the homologous series of aldehydes, following formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and propionaldehyde.
The IUPAC name for butyraldehyde is butanal, which reflects its position in the aldehyde naming convention.
Butyraldehyde is commonly used as a solvent and as an intermediate in the production of other chemicals, such as butyric acid and butyl alcohol.
The carbonyl carbon in butyraldehyde is partially positively charged, making it susceptible to nucleophilic attack during reactions.
Butyraldehyde can be oxidized to butyric acid, a carboxylic acid with a characteristic unpleasant odor.
Review Questions
Explain the relationship between butyraldehyde and the homologous series of aldehydes.
Butyraldehyde is the fourth member of the homologous series of aldehydes, which are organic compounds containing a carbonyl group (C=O) with a hydrogen atom attached to the carbon atom. As part of this series, butyraldehyde follows the general formula CH3(CH2)nCHO, where n=2, and it shares similar chemical properties with other aldehydes in the series, such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and propionaldehyde.
Describe the role of the carbonyl group in the reactivity of butyraldehyde.
The carbonyl carbon in butyraldehyde is partially positively charged, making it susceptible to nucleophilic attack during chemical reactions. This reactivity is due to the polarized nature of the carbonyl group, where the carbon atom bears a partial positive charge and the oxygen atom bears a partial negative charge. This polarization allows the carbonyl carbon to be targeted by nucleophiles, leading to a variety of reactions, such as reduction to form butyl alcohol or oxidation to form butyric acid.
Analyze the importance of butyraldehyde in industrial applications and the production of other chemicals.
Butyraldehyde is a valuable industrial solvent and an important intermediate in the production of other chemicals. Its use as a solvent is due to its ability to dissolve a variety of organic compounds. Additionally, butyraldehyde can be converted into other important chemicals, such as butyric acid and butyl alcohol, through various chemical reactions. The versatility of butyraldehyde and its ability to be transformed into a range of useful compounds make it an essential component in many industrial processes and the synthesis of a variety of end-products.