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JEE Main levelOne or more correct optionsDifficulty 2 of 3g3065

Which of the following carbonyl compounds have no alpha hydrogen and therefore cannot form an enolate?

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D

Answer: A, B, D

An enolate needs an sp3 C-H on the carbon next to . In methanal the carbonyl carbon carries only H. In benzaldehyde the neighbour is an aromatic carbon with no H to lose. In 2,2-dimethylpropanal the neighbour is a quaternary carbon. Ethanal has three alpha hydrogens, so it is excluded.
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