Question

a. What alkene would give only a ketone with three carbons as a product of oxidative cleavage?

b. What alkenes would give only an aldehyde with four carbons as a product of oxidative cleavage?

Short answer

The conversion of an alkene's carbons into separate carbonyl groups is known as oxidative cleavage.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of oxidative cleavage- 

The conversion of an alkene's carbons into separate carbonyl groups is known as oxidative cleavage.

a) 2,3-dimethylbut-2-ene would give only a ketone with three carbons as a product of oxidative cleavage- 

We can figure out what the alkene was by working backwards from the products.

Acetone (CH3)₂C=O is the only three-carbon ketone.

Working backwards, we discover that the beginning ingredient has to be 2,3-dimethylbut-2-ene.

b) (Z)-oct-4-ene and (E)-oct-4-ene would give only an aldehyde with four carbons as a product of oxidative cleavage-

We can figure out what the alkene was by working backwards from the products.

Aldehyde with four carbons is obtained as a product.

Working backwards, we discover that the beginning ingredient has to be (Z)-oct-4-ene and (E)-oct-4-ene.