Dicarbonyl
In organic chemistry, a dicarbonyl is an organic compound that has two double bonds between carbon and oxygen (the carbonyl group, C=O). The term is also used more specifically for when the two carbonyls are close enough to each other that they change how the chemical acts in chemical reactions.
In organometallic chemistry, a dicarbonyl is any coordination complex with two carbonyl ligands.
Types
Dicarbonyls are named by more specific types of carbonyl in the molecule.
- If the two carbonyls are the same, their name is used with the prefix "di-":
- Glyoxal (oxaldehyde, ethanedione) is a dialdehyde.
- Diacetyl (butanedione) is a diketone.
- Oxalic acid is a dicarboxylic acid.
- Dimethyl oxalate is a diester.
- If they are different, the names are combined:
- Methylglyoxal is a ketoaldehyde.
- Pyruvic acid is a keto acid. An ester of a keto acid is a keto ester.
- Glyoxlic acid is an aldehydic acid. Aldehydic acids are also called semialdehydes.