How To Synthesize a Compound Using the Aldol Reaction ?
The term Aldol is made by the combination of aldehyde and alcohol. Alpha carbons on the enolate anions undergo electrophillic substitution for the formation of carbon-carbon bond.
This reaction occurs by the combination of two aldehydes or ketones, resulting in the formation of a beta-hydroxy aldehyde or a beta-hydroxy ketone. The reaction is base catalyzed and undergoes dehydration in the last step. Hence, the reaction is sometimes also referred to as Aldol condensation reaction.
The mechanism for Aldol reaction is-
Step 1 : Formation of carbanion by addition of base, abstracting alpha hydrogen
Step 2 : Nucleophillic addition with another aldehyde
Step by step
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