Aldehyde: Learn about aldehydes

Learn about aldehydes, organic compounds with a carbonyl group attached to a hydrogen atom. Find out how to name, prepare, and identify them using chemical tests and reactions. Aldehyde, any of a class of organic compounds in which a carbon atom shares a double bond with an oxygen atom, a single bond with a hydrogen atom, and a single bond with another atom or group of atoms (designated R in general chemical formulas and structure diagrams). Aldehyde Definition An aldehyde (RCHO) or alkanal is a carbonyl compound (compounds contain -CO- as a functional group) where carbonyl group is bonded to one carbon (or alkyl group) and one hydrogen atom. Ethanal is an example of aldheyde where one methyl group and one hydrogen group is added to the carbonyl carbon. Learn about the aldehyde functional group, examples and its properties! You will also learn about their reactions, and aldehyde vs ketone.