Protecting Carbonyls: Acetals/Ketals (Why They’re Base-Stable): Mechanism + Exam Traps
Acetals/ketals protect aldehydes/ketones so they don’t react during nucleophilic additions or reductions.
- Reaction: Protecting Carbonyls: Acetals/Ketals (Why They’re Base-Stable)
- What it does: Acetals/ketals protect aldehydes/ketones so they don’t react during nucleophilic additions or reductions.
- Typical reagents: HOCH2CH2OH, H+ (cat.)
- Key intermediate: Tetrahedral intermediate
- Driving force: Formation of more stable bonds / products
- Exam type: Choose reagents
- Exam type: Plan order of operations
- Exam type: Chemoselectivity