An acetal is a compound that has the following general structural formula.

R¹ = H, alkyl, aryl
R², R³ = alkyl (In most acetals, R² = R³.)

eg:

The functional group 1 in an organic molecule is called the acetal group; the carbon atom bearing the two oxygen atoms is the acetal carbon.

See also cyclic acetal and hemiacetal.

OCHEMPAL IS NOW IN THE FORM OF A BOOK

Title: The Elements of Organic Chemistry; Subtitle: A Compendium of Terminology, Definitions, and Concepts for the Beginner.

Available at  Amazon or the publisher’s website: http://linusbooks.com/?wpsc-product=the-elements-of-organic-chemistry

 The book contains everything on OChemPal except some recent additions, a few biochemical terms, and the Mastery Check feature. So, if you prefer reading a book to reading a screen, the book is for you.