Aldehydes and Ketones - Result Question 73

84. Arrange the following in order of their increasing reactivity towards $HCN$ :

$CH _3 CHO, CH _3 COCH _3, HCHO, C _2 H _5 COCH _3$

(1985, 1M)

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Solution:

  1. Steric hindrance at carbonyl carbon determine the reactivity towards nucleophilic addition reaction. Greater the steric hindrance, smaller the reactivity.

$C _2 H _5 COCH _3 < CH _3 COCH _3 < CH _3 CHO < HCHO$