Question
Chemistry Question on Organic Chemistry- Some Basic Principles and Techniques
Find the number of products formed by the reaction of acetaldehyde with benzaldehyde in the presence of NaOH.
The reaction between acetaldehyde and benzaldehyde in the presence of NaOH is known as the Cannizzaro reaction. In this reaction, both aldehydes act as reducing agents and undergo disproportionation. However, the products formed depend on the reaction conditions.
Under normal Cannizzaro reaction conditions, where excess NaOH is used, the following products are formed:
Sodium Salt of Acetic Acid: The acetaldehyde (CH₃CHO) is reduced to form sodium salt of acetic acid (CH₃COONa) as one of the products.
Benzyl Alcohol: The benzaldehyde (C₆H₅CHO) is reduced to form benzyl alcohol (C₆H₅CH₂OH) as another product.
Therefore, in this specific reaction, two products are formed: sodium salt of acetic acid (CH₃COONa) and benzyl alcohol (C₆H₅CH₂OH).
It's important to note that the formation of these products can be influenced by reaction conditions such as the molar ratio of the reactants, concentration of NaOH, temperature, and reaction time. In some cases, additional products like benzoic acid or acetic acid may also be observed, depending on the specific reaction conditions.