Important Aldehydes and Ketones

Many aldehydes and ketones are produced industrially as food and fragrance chemicals, medicinals, and agricultural chemicals. They are particularly important to the food industry, in which they are used as artificial and/or natural additives to food. Vanillin, a principal component of natural vanilla, is shown in Figure 14.3. Artificial vanilla flavoring is a dilute solution of synthetic vanillin dissolved in ethanol. Figure 14.3 also shows other examples of important aldehydes and ketones. 

Identify the most important aldehyde and ketone from Section 4.4 (on the basis of amount used), and list at least one characteristic for each that contributes to its usefulness. 

The structures of some important aldehydes and ketones are shown below ... 

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