Propanal
A three-carbon aldehyde linking oxidation and carbonyl addition.
- Formula
- C3H6O
- Functional group
- Aldehydes
- Molar mass
- 58.08 g/mol
- Also known as
- Propionaldehyde, Propanaldehyde, Propylaldehyde, Propaldehyde, Methylacetaldehyde, n-Propanal
Overview
A three-carbon aldehyde linking oxidation and carbonyl addition.
The terminal CHO group is oxidised to propanoic acid, or propanoate in alkaline conditions. Its carbonyl carbon bears a hydrogen, unlike that of isomeric propanone. This structural difference underlies the contrasting response to mild aldehyde oxidation tests.
Identifiers
- Formula
- C3H6O
- Functional group
- Aldehydes
- Molar mass
- 58.08 g/mol
- Also known as
- Propionaldehyde, Propanaldehyde, Propylaldehyde, Propaldehyde, Methylacetaldehyde, n-Propanal
Chemical identifiers
- SMILES
- CCC=O
- InChI
- InChI=1S/C3H6O/c1-2-3-4/h3H,2H2,1H3
- PubChem CID
- 527
Properties
- Melting Point
- -80 °C
- Boiling Point
- 48 °C
- Density
- 0.8657 g/cu cm at 25 °C
- Water solubility
- In water, 3.06X10+5 mg/L at 25 °C
Diagnostic tests
Tollens’ aldehyde test
- Reagent
- freshly prepared Tollens’ reagent
- Conditions
- Warm gently in a water bath under the reference method.
- Positive observation
- Silver deposit or mirror forms.
- Negative observation
- No silver deposit in the reagent blank.
- Interpretation
- Propanal is oxidised to propanoate as silver(I) is reduced.
- Scope
- Expected positive for propanal.
- Limitations
- Other reducing compounds also react; dispose of the mixture by the laboratory method.
- Evidence
- reference experiment
Related compounds
- Aldehydes
A three-carbon aldehyde linking oxidation and carbonyl addition.
Connected reactions
- Oxidation: Propanal → Propanoic acid
Propanal is oxidised to propanoic acid.
- Partial oxidation: Propan-1-ol → Propanal
Propan-1-ol is oxidised to propanal.
- Reduction: Propanal → Propan-1-ol
Propanal is reduced to propan-1-ol.
References
- PubChem Compound Summary: Propanal (CID 527)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem
Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-08.
- OpenStax Organic Chemistry: Oxidation of aldehydes and ketonesJohn McMurry · OpenStax · 2023
Supports the qualitative structural interpretation of the recorded molecular structure; no new physical measurement or verified preparative yield is claimed.
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Propanal — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/527#section=Melting-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Lide, D.R. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 88TH Edition 2007-2008. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL 2007, p. 3-414
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Propanal — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/527#section=Boiling-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Lide, D.R. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 88TH Edition 2007-2008. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL 2007, p. 3-440
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Propanal — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/527#section=Density. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Lide, D.R. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 88TH Edition 2007-2008. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL 2007, p. 3-440
- Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Propanal — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/527#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Riddick, J.A., W.B. Bunger, Sakano T.K. Techniques of Chemistry 4th ed., Volume II. Organic Solvents. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons., 1985., p. 329
- The silver mirror test with Tollens’ reagentRoyal Society of Chemistry · RSC Education
Source-supported qualitative reference observations.