hydroxyketone
Hydroxyketone is a generic term for an organic compound that contains both a hydroxyl group (–OH) and a ketone group (C=O) within the same molecule. The hydroxyl can be located at various positions relative to the carbonyl, but the defining feature is the coexistence of the carbonyl function of a ketone and a free hydroxyl group. When the hydroxyl is on the carbon adjacent to the carbonyl, the compound is often called an alpha-hydroxy ketone; hydroxyls on other positions lead to beta-hydroxy or other hydroxyketones.
Common examples include hydroxyacetone (1-hydroxy-2-propanone), a simple, widely used hydroxyketone, and benzoin, a representative alpha-hydroxy ketone
Synthesis and occurrence vary. Alpha-hydroxy ketones can arise from the oxidation of secondary alcohols, or from
Reactivity and uses are centered on the dual functionality: the carbonyl carbon behaves as a typical ketone,