Question

Convert Ethanal to But-2-enal

Hint:

Aldol condensation is used to form conjugated enals, and here, it is used to synthesize But-2-enal from Ethanal.

Answer 1

Ethanal (Acetaldehyde) transforms into But-2-enal via aldol condensation. The process unfolds as follows: 1. Aldol condensation: Ethanal reacts with itself in the presence of a base such as NaOH to yield But-3-en-2-al (crotonaldehyde). \[ \text{CH}_3\text{CHO} + \text{CH}_3\text{CHO} \xrightarrow{\text{NaOH}} \text{CH}_3\text{CH=CHCHO} \quad (\text{But-3-en-2-al}) \] 2. The resultant compound is But-2-enal, which is the target molecule. \vspace{10pt}