Consider the following specific nucleophilic reagents used for addition-elimination reactions: Ammon — Aldehydes Ketones and Carboxylic Acids Chemistry Question
Question
Consider the following specific nucleophilic reagents used for addition-elimination reactions: Ammonia, Hydroxylamine, Hydrazine, Phenylhydrazine, Semicarbazide, and 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine. How many of these require strict catalysis by a weakly acidic medium to react efficiently with aldehydes and ketones?
💡 Solution & Explanation
All the listed compounds are weak nucleophiles belonging to the class of ammonia and its derivatives ($NH_2-Z$). They completely rely on a weakly acidic medium to protonate the carbonyl oxygen, which enhances the electrophilicity of the carbonyl carbon so these weak nucleophiles can attack. Therefore, all 6 require it.