Aldehydes and Ketones for JEE

• Aldehydes are more reactive than ketones to nucleophiles
• Aldol needs α-hydrogen; Cannizzaro needs no α-hydrogen
• Tollens' and Fehling's tests detect aldehydes
• Iodoform test detects CH₃CO– and CH₃CH(OH)–

• Clemmensen: C=O → CH₂ (Zn-Hg/HCl)
• Wolff–Kishner: C=O → CH₂ (N₂H₄/KOH)
• Cannizzaro: 2 HCHO → HCOO⁻ + CH₃OH
• Aldol: 2 CH₃CHO → CH₃CH(OH)CH₂CHO

Printable Aldehydes and Ketones formula sheet: formulas, key ideas and traps on one page. Save it as a PDF for offline revision.

• Applying aldol to compounds without α-H
• Forgetting acetophenone gives iodoform
• Mixing Clemmensen and Wolff–Kishner conditions

Appears in almost every JEE Main shift. Very frequent. Named reactions here are NCERT favourites.

Prerequisites: General Organic Chemistry (GOC).

Chapter names follow the current rationalised NCERT textbooks. Read these sections before solving PYQs.

Question. Compound X (molecular formula C₈H₈O) gives a positive iodoform test but does not reduce Tollens' reagent. When X is treated with benzaldehyde in dilute NaOH, compound Y (C₁₅H₁₂O) is formed. However, benzaldehyde alone when treated with concentrated NaOH gives an equimolar mixture of P and Q. (a) Identify X and Y. (b) Identify P and Q and name the reaction. (c) Explain why X does not undergo the same reaction as benzaldehyde with concentrated NaOH.

This example was solved twice independently and both solutions agree.

Full-chapter free lectures picked from YouTube search results by views, from established JEE channels (mostly in Hinglish). Use the subtopic list to jump straight to the part you need (timestamps come from each video's own chapter list). Watch one, then solve PYQs the same day.

• ALDEHYDES, KETONES & CARBOXYLIC ACIDS in One Shot: All Concepts & PYQs Covered | JEE Main & Advanced — JEE Wallah, 6:50:12
  Jump to a subtopic (49)

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:14 Topics to be covered
  • 04:55 Channel Update
  • 05:05 The Catalyst for Chemistry
  • 07:12 Oxidation of alcohol
  • 17:19 Formation of carboxylic acid
  • 19:57 Hydrolysis
  • 25:12 Reduction
  • 38:10 NaBH4 & B2H6
  • 47:35 DIBAL-H
  • 57:05 Hydration of Alkyne & Wacker Process
  • 1:02:10 Ozonolysis
  • 1:06:00 Dry distillation of calcium salt of acid
  • 1:07:09 Rosenmund’s reduction
  • 1:08:48 Stephen’s reduction
  • 1:14:02 Etard reaction
  • 1:21:29 Gatterman-koch reaction
  • 1:39:40 Preparation of ketones
  • 1:45:54 Clemmensen & Wolf-kishner reduction
  • 1:59:53 Nucleophilic addition reactions
  • 2:18:17 Reaction with HCN
  • 2:27:28 Reaction with water
  • 2:33:09 Amine reaction
  • 2:45:40 Reaction with alcohol
  • 3:02:48 Beckman rearrangement
  • 3:08:39 Aldol and Cannizzaro reaction
  • 3:25:39 Aldol Condensation
  • 3:35:52 Intramolecular aldol Condensation
  • 3:53:05 Cannizzaro reaction
  • 4:04:40 Break
  • 4:24:32 Baeyer-Villiger oxidation reaction
  • 4:29:00 Tollen’s reagent
  • 4:40:57 Alpha-Hydroxy ketone
  • 4:50:48 Fehling & Benedict solution
  • 4:58:10 Important points
  • 5:02:52 Schiff’s reagent test
  • 5:06:23 Sodium hydrogen sulphite test
  • 5:15:39 Iodoform test
  • 5:27:25 Special case of Iodoform reaction
  • 5:35:14 Carboxylic acid from Grignard reagent
  • 5:46:18 Nucleophilic substitution reactions
  • 6:06:26 Reaction with ammonia
  • 6:10:14 Esterification
  • 6:18:41 Hydrolysis of Esters
  • 6:20:08 Decarboxylation - Heating
  • 6:26:58 Kolbe’s electrolysis
  • 6:31:06 Soda-Lime Decarboxylation
  • 6:45:35 Hunsdiecker reaction
  • 6:47:50 Thank you bachhon
• JEE Brief: Aldehyde Ketone Carboxylic Acid | One Shot for JEE Main and Advanced | Sakshi Vora — Vora Classes, 5:01:05

• 7 JEE Main 2026 PYQs on Aldehydes and Ketones, with solutions.
• Read the chapter in NCERT textbooks (official, free), then solve its NCERT Exemplar (official, free) questions.
• Chapter-wise past questions: JEE Main and Advanced PYQs and question bank.
• Timed practice tests: NTA Abhyas practice tests (official, free) and our free mock tests.
• See it move: interactive simulation.