Acetal Definition

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Acetal Definition." ThoughtCo, Jun. 12, 2014, thoughtco.com/definition-of-acetal-604736. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2014, June 12). Acetal Definition. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-acetal-604736 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Acetal Definition." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-acetal-604736 (accessed September 23, 2017).
This is the general structure of an acetal compound.
This is the general structure of an acetal compound. Todd Helmenstine
Updated June 12, 2014

Definition: An acetal is an organic molecule where two separate oxygen atoms are single bonded to a central carbon atom.

Acetals have the general structure of R2C(OR')2.

An older definition of acetal had one at least one R group as a derivative of an aldehyde where R = H, but an acetal can contain derivatives of ketones where neither R group is a hydrogen. This type of acetal is called a ketal.

Acetals that contain different R' groups are called mixed acetals.



Acetal is also a common name for the compound 1,1-diethoxyethane.

Examples: Dimethoxymethane is an acetal compound.

Format
mla apa chicago
Your Citation
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Acetal Definition." ThoughtCo, Jun. 12, 2014, thoughtco.com/definition-of-acetal-604736. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2014, June 12). Acetal Definition. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-acetal-604736 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Acetal Definition." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-acetal-604736 (accessed September 23, 2017).