Ozonolysis of alkenes followed by reaction with zinc dust and water yields aldehydes, ketones, or a mixture. Hydration of ethyne in the presence of H₂SO₄ and HgSO₄ produces acetaldehyde, while other alkynes yield ketones in this reaction.

Dehydrogenation of alcohols, particularly volatile ones, involves passing alcohol vapors over heavy metal catalysts like Ag or Cu to obtain aldehydes and ketones from primary and secondary alcohols, respectively.

The carbonyl carbon is sp²-hybridized, forming three sigma (σ) bonds. It also forms a π-bond with oxygen by overlap with the p-orbital of carbon.

Aromatic aldehydes are named as substituted benzaldehydes. The IUPAC-accepted common name for the simplest aromatic aldehyde is benzenecarbaldehyde, but benzaldehyde is also accepted by IUPAC.

For cyclic ketones, numbering starts from the end nearer to the carbonyl group. The carbonyl carbon is assigned position one in the naming of cyclic ketones.