What is the difference between Aldehyde and Formaldehyde?

Aldehyde and Formaldehyde are organic compounds. Aldehyde has a carbonyl group; a carbonyl joins with other carbon from one side, and it connects with a hydrogen atom on the other end. Aldehydes are mainly derived from alcohol through dehydrogenation or hydrogen removal.

Formaldehyde has one carbon atom, two hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. It is an aldehyde that has a different structure of compound from the original formula. It is mostly used in the industrial sector to produce paints, antiseptics, glues, preservatives, and resins.

Formaldehyde has a formula of H-CHO, while Aldehyde has a chemical formula of R-CHO. The aldehyde phase of matter occurs in either gas or liquid phases, while that of Formaldehyde occurs in the gaseous phase. Aldehyde has a nice smell, while Formaldehyde has a terrible smell.

The significant difference between aldehyde and formaldehyde is that the aldehyde contains an R group attached to a CHO group, while formaldehyde does not have an R group. The general chemical formula of aldehyde is R-CHO, but for formaldehyde, it is H-CHO.

The chemical structure of these compounds is different. Both are organic compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. They have a carbonyl functional group, which is a CHO group. Formaldehyde is also a form of aldehyde, and aldehydes have a carbonyl group.

The carbonyl group attaches with another carbon from one side, and from the other end, it links up with a hydrogen atom. Formaldehyde forms organically in the atmosphere when oxygen, methane, and other hydrocarbons react together under the sunlight. Formaldehyde is beneficial in producing disinfectants, fertilizer, automobiles, paper, cosmetics, and wood preservation.

Formaldehyde does not have an R Group. There are other aldehydes that are available right now that will come with an R Group. What makes formaldehyde different is that it comes with a hydrogen atom instead. Another type of difference that you can sense from these two is the types of odor that they can produce.

You may notice that formaldehyde comes with a pungent odor while aldehyde comes with a more pleasant odor. Another difference that you will notice is that they will come in different states. You can expect that formaldehyde is always going to be in a gaseous state while the aldehyde may come in a gaseous or liquid state.