Question

How is the following conversion effected phenyl methanal into benzoin?

Answer 1

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\ce{\underset{Phenyl methanal}{C6H5CHO + } C6H5CHO ->[alc][KCN] C6H5 - CH - C - C6H5}\\
\phantom{.........................................}|\phantom{....}||\phantom{}\\
\phantom{.......................................}\ce{\underset{(Benzoin)}{OH}}\phantom{}\ce{O}\phantom{}
\end{array}\]