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Why are geminal diols unstable? [duplicate]

Colin Little  Follow

Formation Of Gemdiol

Carbonyl compounds react with water to give gem diols. This reaction is catalysed by acid. The reaction is reversible reaction.

Gem diols are highly unstable compounds hence equilibrium favours the backward direction. The extent to which an aldehyde or ketone is hydrated depends on the stability of gem diol.

Stability of gem diols depend on the following factors:

(i) Steric hindrance by +I group around α-carbon decreases the stability of gem diols. +I group decreases stability of gem diol and hence decreases extent of hydration.

(ii) Stability of gem diols mainly depends on the presence of –I group on α-carbon. More is the –I power of the group more will be stability of gem diols.

(iii) Intramolecular hydrogen bonding increases stability of gem diols. –I groups present on carbon having gem diol group increases strength of hydrogen bond.

More is the strength of hydrogen bond more will be the stability of gem diol.

Overall stability : (CH3)2C(OH)2 < CH3CCl(OH)2 < CH3CN

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Duncan McDougall  Follow
Your stability order seems incorrect. I also suggest to add at least one (and better three or more) examples of More
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Gregory Tanner  Follow
explain ur saying.More
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Idealist  Follow
stableMore
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Gayantha Vitharanage  Follow
If you still didnt guess, elimination of HCl is much more preferable than of water.More
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Eric Snyder  Follow
Ask me tomorrow again if you cant guess yourself.More
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Andrea Louise Carpenter  Follow

Geminal diols are unstable due to repulsion between the two oxygens present on the same carbon.If a compound is able to disperse the electron pair of oxygens by phenomenon like hydrogen bonding,resonance,-H effect(hyperconjugation) etc,their stability will increase.

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Edward Lafreniere  Follow
Simply not true.More
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Jeffrey Engel  Follow
Earlier answer is betterMore
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Jim Engel  Follow
Well this is what i was taught in school, and it does help to solve questions based on the stability of diols.I must be wrong then,could anyone please tell me whats the correct concept?More
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