Question

An unknown aldehyde ‘A’ on reacting with alkali gives a b – hydroxy – aldehyde, which loses water to form an unsaturated aldehyde, 2 – butenal. Another aldehyde ‘B’ undergoes disporportionation reaction in the presence of conc. alkali to form products C and D. C is – an aryl alcohol with formula C₇H₈O.

1. Identify A and B. 

2. Write the sequence of reactions involved

3. Name the product, when ‘B’ reacts with Zn amalgam and hydrochloric acid.

Answer 1

1. ‘A’ is acetaldehyde ‘B’ is Benzaldehyde 

2. reaction are shown above.

3. The product ‘B’ is Benzyl alcohol.