Lab H: Aldol Condensation

Question 1

What are some real life applications for dibenzylideneacetone?

Answer 1

It is a component of some sunscreens and is also an ingredient in many industrially important transition metal catalysts

Question 2

Draw out the synthesis of dibenzylideneacetone

Answer 2

Refer to notes

Question 3

What does the general aldol condensation reaction consist of?

Answer 3

Enolate formation, nucleophilic attack of the enolate on an electrophilic carbonyl compound(aldol reaction) , and elimination of water to given an a,b-unsaturated carbonyl compound

Question 4

In this experiment, we will be doing a crossed-aldol condensation which means that

Answer 4

the enolate is derived from a different carbonyl compound other than the electrophile

Question 5

The crossed-aldol reaction is often a difficult reaction to control because

Answer 5

both of the carbonyl compounds can act as the enolate and both can also act as the electrophile which can result in a mixture of four different products

Question 6

How can you control the distribution of products in this experiment?

Answer 6

You can control the distribution of products by carful choice of the base used for the enolate formation or by controlling the molar proportions of the two carbonyl compounds. In this lab, the crossed aldol condensation will be controlled by using one carbonyl compound without any a-hydrogens, benzaldehyde. Because of the lack of a-hydrogens, benzaldehyde cannot form an enolate and therefore can only react as the electrophile in the reaction.

Question 7

Describe the general procedure for this reaction

Question 8

What are the health hazards associated with potassium hydroxide?

Answer 8

extremely corrosive