CANNIZZARO REACTION Meaning and
Definition
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The Cannizzaro reaction is a chemical reaction that involves the disproportionation of an aldehyde compound into a primary alcohol and a carboxylic acid in the presence of a strong base. This reaction was named after Stanislao Cannizzaro, an Italian chemist who first discovered it in 1853.
In the Cannizzaro reaction, one molecule of the aldehyde is reduced to a corresponding primary alcohol, while a second molecule is simultaneously oxidized to form a carboxylic acid. This reaction is classified as a disproportionation reaction because it involves both oxidation and reduction occurring simultaneously. It is typically carried out using a strong base, such as sodium hydroxide, which serves as the oxidizing agent.
The Cannizzaro reaction is commonly used to convert aldehydes that do not have an alpha-hydrogen atom (e.g., formaldehyde) into a mixture of a primary alcohol and a carboxylic acid. This is because aldehydes lacking an alpha-hydrogen atom cannot undergo aldol condensation or other common reactions. The resulting products of the Cannizzaro reaction can be separated based on their solubilities or boiling points.
This reaction has significant synthetic and industrial applications, as it can lead to the formation of valuable intermediates and building blocks for organic synthesis. It is also frequently employed in various redox reactions and organic transformations where aldehydes are involved. The Cannizzaro reaction has played a fundamental role in the understanding of oxidation and reduction reactions in organic chemistry and has paved the way for the development of other important chemical reactions.
Etymology of CANNIZZARO REACTION
The term "Cannizzaro reaction" is named after the Italian chemist Stanislao Cannizzaro, who first described the reaction in 1853. Stanislao Cannizzaro was a pioneer in the field of organic chemistry and made significant contributions to various areas of the science. He is best known for his work on the determination of atomic weights and for proposing a method to reconcile the different interpretations of Avogadro's hypothesis regarding the distinction between atoms and molecules. The Cannizzaro reaction, discovered by Stanislao Cannizzaro, involves the self-disproportionation of aldehydes, resulting in the formation of alcohols and carboxylic acids.
