Explanation of the Multistep Synthesis of Benzilic Acid Essay

The deduction of several complex organic compounds follows a multistep synthesis. Multistep synthesis refers to the procedure in which the product of one reaction serves as the starting material in the ensuant reaction. The multistep synthesis of benzilic acid begins with a conversion benzaldehyde to benzoin through a condensation reaction. The benzoin because oxidizes into benzil, which undergoes rearrangement to give benzilic acid.Benzoin Synthesis* When two benzaldehyde blood corpuscles condense in the presence of thiamine, it leads to the formation of a molecule of benzoin. The thiamine behaves as a coenzyme catalyst. This step of the reaction involves the numberition of ethanol and sodium hydroxide into an sedimentary root of thiamine hydrochloride and creating a reaction with plain benzaldehyde. When you heat this mixture to a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius for roughly 90 minutes and then cool it in an ice bath, the benzoin crystallizes out. Recrystallization of these crystals from hot ethanol yields pure benzoin as a colorless powder.Benzil Synthesis* Benzoin undergoes oxidation in the presence of a mild oxidizing agent such as nitric acid to produce the alpha diketone known as benzil. When you heat benzoin with concentrated nitric acid using a reflux condenser, evolution of flushed brown nitrogen dioxide occurs and then stops. When you add cold water to the cooled reaction mixture, benzil precipitates out as a yellow solid. You can then recrystallize this substance from hot ethanol.1. Benzilic Acid Synthesis* When you reflux a consequence of benzil in ethyl alcohol with potassium hydroxide for 15 minutes and then cool it, it forms the process salt potassium benzilate. When you dissolve this salt in hot water in an Erlenmeyer flask and add hydrochloric acid to bring the pH down to 2, the salt becomes acidified to yield benzilic acid.Precautions* During the conversion of benzaldehyde to benzoin, you must maintain temperatures downstairs 65 d egrees Celsius to obtain benzoin. Take c are when refluxing benzoin with nitric acid the nitrogen dioxide fumes are extremely toxic and can cause lung damage. During the conversion of benzoin to benzil, some benzoin may stay on unoxidized. Prevent this scenario by creating a reaction of an ethanolic solution of the benzil with 10 percent sodium hydroxide solution if benzoin is present, a purple color develops.