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small molecules: |
spacefilling presentation |
the electron cloud is represented by dots |
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The dehydration (the withdrawal of H-atoms) of primary alcohols leads to aldehydes.
H \ C = O / R |
H \ C = O / H |
H \ C = O / H3C |
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aldehyde | formaldehyde | acetaldehyde |
Acetaldehyde
Glyceraldehyde [optic isomers: (D- and L- form].
gallery: structure and data of a few aldehydes |
The ketones stem from secondary alcohols.
R1 \ C = O / R2 |
H3C \ C = O / H3C |
OH / H2C \ C = O / H2C \ OH |
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ketone | acetone | dihydroxyacetone |
gallery: structure and data of a few ketones |
Brevitoxin is a naturally occurring molecule with carbonyl groups (aldehyde- and lactone-). It is a poison produced by algae. The two carbonyl groups are marked in the figure below by their electron clouds. The other oxygen atoms form lactone rings by ether bridges, a hydroxyl group is also present.
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