Question

What is the product formed when benzaldehyde and formaldehyde are heated with an aqueous $\mathrm{NaOH}$ solution?

Answer 1

Formation of product:

• When benzaldehyde and formaldehyde are heated together in an aqueous $\mathrm{NaOH}$ solution, the result is benzyl alcohol and sodium formate.
• The reaction is as follows:-

$\underset{\mathrm{Benzaldehyde}}{{\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{CHO}}+\underset{\mathrm{Formaldehyde}}{\mathrm{HCHO}}\underset{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}}{\overset{\mathrm{NaOH}}{\to }}\underset{\mathrm{Benzyl}\mathrm{alcohol}}{{\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_5{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}}+\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{formate}}{\mathrm{HCOONa}}$

Cannizzaro reaction

• It is a chemical reaction that involves the base-induced disproportionation of two molecules of a non-enolizable aldehyde to yield a carboxylic acid and a primary alcohol.
• The given reaction is an example of a Cannizzaro reaction that's been crossed. Because neither molecule contains α-hydrogen, thus Crossed Cannizzaro reaction occurs.