Question

Acetaldehyde reacts with

• A. only electrophiles
• B. only nucleophiles
• C. only free radicals
• D. both electrophiles and nucleophiles

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

The carbonyl group is highly reactive polar group. It is polarised due tol the higher electronegativity of oxygen in comparison to carbon. As a result, the electrons present between carbon and oxygen are more attracted towards oxygen atom. The actual structure may be represented as

Consequently, the carbonyl carbon is positively charged while the oxygen is negatively charged. The positively charged carbon is easily attacked by a nucleophilic reagent $\left(N{u}^{-}\right)$.

$s{p}^2$ hybridisation planar structure.

$s{p}^3$ hybridisation tetrahedral structure.