Chemistry > Aldehydes and Ketones > 17.0 Other Reactions Of Aldehydes And Ketones

  Aldehydes and Ketones
    1.0 Introduction
    2.0 Methods of Preparation
    3.0 Physical Properties
    4.0 Relative Reactivities of Carbonyl Compounds
    5.0 Addition of Carbon Nucleophiles
    6.0 Haloform Reactions
    7.0 Aldol Condensations
    8.0 Claisen Condensation
    9.0 Intramolecular Claisen Condensation
    10.0 Cannizzaro Reaction
    11.0 Reformatsky Reaction
    12.0 Addition of Nitrogen Nucleophiles
    13.0 Addition of Oxygen Nucleophile
    14.0 Addition of Sulphur Nucleophile
    15.0 Oxidation of Aldehydes And Ketones
    16.0 Reduction of Aldehyde and Ketones
    17.0 Other Reactions Of Aldehydes And Ketones

17.3 Benzoin Condensation

The benzoin condensation is essentially a dimerisation of two aromatic aldehydes under the catalytic influence of cyanide ions to give benzoin (I).

The hydrogen atom attached to the carbonyl group of aldehyde is not active enough to be removed easily but the addition of the cyanide ion to the carbonyl carbon places this hydrogen in the alpha position of the nitrile thus rendering it relatively acidic. The carbanion, thus generated, attacks the carbonyl carbon of the second aldehyde molecule in a rate-determining step forming an unstable cyanohydrin of benzoin which immediately breaks down into benzoin and hydrogen cyanide.

Benzoin condensation is not catlaysed by hydroxide ion, or by bases in general, but is specifically catalyzed by cyanide ions. This unique catalytic property of cyanide ion is due to (a) its good nucleophilicity which enables it to attack the carbonyl carbon. (b) its ability to stabilize the carbanion, and (c) the ease with which cyanide ion departs in the last step.


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