Aldol Condensation
Aldol Condensation
An aldol condensation is an organic reaction in which an enol or an enolate ion reacts with a
carbonyl compound to form a -hydroxyaldehyde or -hydroxyketone, followed by a
dehydration to give a conjugated enone.
Aldol condensations are important in organic synthesis, providing a good way to form carbon-
carbon bonds. The Robinson annulation reaction sequence features an aldol condensation;
the Wieland-Miescher ketone product is an important starting material for many organic
syntheses.
Aldol condensations are also commonly discussed in university level organic chemistry
classes as a good bond-forming reaction that demonstrates important reaction mechanisms.
In its usual form, it involves the nucleophilic addition of a ketone enolate to an aldehyde to
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form a -hydroxy ketone, or "aldol" (aldehyde + alcohol), a structural unit found in many
natural y occurring molecules and pharmaceuticals.
The name aldol condensation is also commonly used, especially in biochemistry, to refer to
the aldol reaction itself, as catalyzed by aldolases.
However, the aldol reaction is not formal y a condensation reaction because it does not
involve the loss of a smal molecule.
The reactions between a ketone and a carbonyl compound lacking an alpha-Hydrogen(Cross
Aldol condensation) is cal ed Claisen-Schmidt condensation.
These reactions are named after two of its pioneering investigators Rainer Ludwig Claisen
and J. G. Schmidt, who independently published on this topic in 1880 and 1881. An example
is the synthesis of dibenzylideneacetone.
Mechanism :- The first part of this reaction is an aldol reaction, the second part a dehydration
--an elimination reaction. Dehydration may be accompanied by decarboxylation when an
activated carboxyl group is present.
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The aldol addition product can be dehydrated via two mechanisms; a strong base like
potassium t-butoxide, potassium hydroxide or sodium hydride in an enolate mechanism,[10] or
in an acid-catalyzed enol mechanism.


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