Benzoin Condensation

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Benzoin Condensation

 

the formation of a-hydroxyketones (acyloins), which contain the—CH(OH)CO— group, from two aldehyde molecules:

2RCHO → RCOCH(OH)R

The CN ion (for example, from NaCN or KCN) serves as a specific catalyst of the condensation. This reaction is characteristic mainly for aromatic aldehydes, as well as for certain heterocyclic aldehydes of aromatic character (for example, furfural); it is used to obtain benzoin from benzoic aldehyde (hence its name).

Benzoin, the organic compound C₆ H₅ COCH(OH)C₆ H₅ , is a white crystalline substance; T_m = 133°–137°C, T_b = 343°-344° C. Benzoin is used in organic synthesis, as a standard in calorimetry, and so on.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.