Question
Arrange the following compounds in increasing order of their property as indicated:
Acetaldehyde, Acetone, Di-tert-butyl ketone, Methyl tert-hutyl ketone (reactivity towards HCN).
Solution
HCN is nucleophile, attack of nucleophile is easier if the steric hindrance is lesser. In the given compound, the +I effect increase hence reactivity of HCN towards these compound decreases thus, the order is,
Di-tert-butyl ketone < Methyl tert-butyl ketone < Acetone < Acetaldehyde.
