Acetone (CH3COCH3) is classified as a saturated compound in terms of carbon-carbon bonds, despite its ability to react with hydrogen to form a saturated alkane. The discussion arose from a chemistry exam question regarding the moles of hydrogen required to saturate acetone, where the official answer indicated 1 mole. This has led to confusion, as acetone can also form a secondary alcohol upon hydrogenation, which is also a saturated compound. The degree of unsaturation for acetone is 1, indicating the presence of one double bond or ring in its structure.
PREREQUISITESChemistry students, educators, and professionals in organic chemistry who seek to clarify concepts related to saturation, hydrogenation, and structural analysis of organic compounds.
That's what has come in my mind during the exam , and I wrote 0 hydrogen moles , but when I saw the ministry of education's official model answer they wrote 1 mole for acetone and 6 moles for diphenyl , and won't it (acetone) form secondary alcohol when it reacts with hydrogen ?Borek said:I would not apply term "saturated" to other bonds than carbon-carbon ones (so I would consider acetone to be saturated). That doesn't stop it from reacting with hydrogen and producing a saturated alkane.
So the last answer is ? and can I know what is your educational background ?Borek said:I think the question is a bit confusing. At the same time the answer given is hardly incorrect - secondary alcohol is a saturated compound, so 1 mole is enough.
Well , thanks but that's so confusing ...Ygggdrasil said:When going from a chemical formula (e.g. CH3COCH3) to a structural formula, it is often useful to calculate the degree of unsaturation, which tells you how many pi bonds/rings are present in the compound. Acetone has a degree of unsaturation of 1, indicating that there is one double bond or ring in the molecule.