Basic Hydrogen Bonding Questions

[Strawberries]

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I'm getting conflicting information online about whether or not aldehyde and ketones can hydrogen bond. Can someone clarify this? (I was thinking that the enol forms could hydrogen bond, but thats just a guess lol.) Thanks!

 

[ilovemcat]

I'm getting conflicting information online about whether or not aldehyde and ketones can hydrogen bond. Can someone clarify this? (I was thinking that the enol forms could hydrogen bond, but thats just a guess lol.) Thanks!

Both ketones and aldehydes are Hydrogen Bond acceptors (they both have 2 lone pair of electrons on the oxygen). But, they can only hydrogen bond in the presence of a hydrogen bond donor (ie. the Hydrogen on a F, O, or Nitrogen).

 

[Strawberries]

Thanks. Is this also true with esters and ethers?

 

[Rabolisk]

Yes.