Question

Write the chemical equations to illustrate the following name reaction: 

Cannizzaro’s reaction

Write the reactions involved in the following reaction:

Cannizzaro reaction

Answer 1

Aldehydes which do not have an α-hydrogen atom, undergo self-oxidation and reduction (disproportionation) reaction on treatment with a concentrated alkali.

\[\begin{array}{cc} \phantom{....}\ce{H}\phantom{........}\ce{H}\phantom{.........................}\ce{H}\phantom{...............}\ce{O}\\ \phantom{.....}\backslash\phantom{........}\backslash\phantom{.........................}|\phantom{...............}//\\ \ce{C = O + C = O + Conc{.} KOH ->[\Delta] H - C - OH + H - C}\\ \phantom{.....}/\phantom{........}/\phantom{.........................}|\phantom{...............}\backslash\\ \phantom{..........}\ce{\underset{Formaldehyde}{H\phantom{........}H}}\phantom{.......................}\ce{\underset{Methanol}{H}}\phantom{........}\ce{\underset{Potassium formate}{OK}} \end{array}\]