Question

Aldehydes are more reactive toward nucleophilic addition reactions than ketones.

Answer 1

Reactive compounds toward Nucleophilic addition reaction:

1. A chemical addition reaction in which a nucleophile establishes a sigma bond with an electron-deficient molecule is known as a nucleophilic addition reaction.
2. Because of the polarity of the $\mathrm{C}=\mathrm{O}$ bond, most carbonyl compounds, such as aldehydes and ketones, undergo nucleophilic addition reactions.
3. For steric and electrical reasons, aldehydes are more reactive than ketones in nucleophilic addition processes.
4. In ketones, the presence of two relatively big substituents makes it more difficult for a nucleophile to access the carbonyl carbon than in aldehydes with only one such substituent.
5. The presence of two alkyl groups lowers the electrophilicity of the carbonyl carbon in ketones more effectively than in aldehydes.

Therefore, aldehydes are more reactive than ketone toward nucleophilic addition reaction.