An alkene on reductive ozonolysis gives methanal as one product. Identify the structure of the alkene.
Reductive ozonolysis breaks the double bond of an alkene and forms carbonyl compounds.
If one of the products formed is methanal (HCHO), then one carbon of the double bond must contain two hydrogen atoms.
The simplest alkene that gives methanal on ozonolysis is:
CH2 = CH − R
An example is propene:
CH3 − CH = CH2
On ozonolysis:
CH3 − CH = CH2 → CH3CHO + HCHO
Answer: The alkene can be propene (CH3−CH=CH2).