And the Cannizzaro reaction

MPa H2. To suppress the isomerization of D-glucose to D-mannose and D-fructose (Lobry de Bruyn-van Ekenstein transformation) (Scheme 5.2) and the Cannizzaro reaction, which were both promoted in an alkaline medium, the pH value was maintained between 5.5 and 6.5. Under the conditions that were optimized to minimize the side reactions, the formation of gluconic acid and mannitol was reduced to less than 1% each at 99.5-99.6% conversion, while with a normal nonpromoted Raney Ni 1.5-2.1% of gluconic acid and 1.3-1.9% of mannitol were formed at 99.5-99.7% conversion. 

Both the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reaction and the Cannizzaro reaction are hydride transfers in which a carbonyl group is reduced by an alkoxide group, which is oxidized. Note that each aluminum triisopropoxide molecule is capable of reducing three ketone molecules. 

In 1952, Pfeil and Schroth reported that, in formose formation, the Cannizzaro reaction takes part, simultaneously and competitively, with the addition reaction. Whereas alcohols of low molecular weight, 1,4-dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, and other compounds repress the Cannizzaro reaction, the hydroxides of alkaline-earth and alkali metals activate the reaction, with only one exception, namely, thallium hydroxide, which catalyzes the addition reaction specifically. In 1971, the two reactions, namely, the addition reaction and the Cannizzaro reaction, were quantitatively and differentially measured by Fujino. When measured for the... 

The Cannizzaro reaction-rate (to) in the formose reaction is defined as the rate at which the calcium hydroxide is consumed. The rate of disappearance of formaldehyde is four times fc, owing to the stoichiometry of the formose reaction. The Cannizzaro rate was measured in the continuously stirred tank-reactor by simple titration, with acid, of the feed and product streams. The total conversion rate (tt) for formaldehyde includes formaldehyde converted by both the formose and the Cannizzaro reactions. 

It is important to note the similarities and differences between the benzylic acid rearrangement and the Cannizzaro reaction (Scheme 9.4). The aryl group migrates in the benzylic acid rearrangement. The hydride migrates in the Cannizzaro reaction. Further, the Cannizzaro reaction is intermolecular (second-order in aldehyde and first-order in base), while the benzylic acid rearrangement is intramolecular and first-order both in base and in diketone. 

Sodium hydroxide solution cannot be used at this stage since it may produce benzoic acid by the Cannizzaro reaction (Section IV,123) from any unchanged benzaldehyde. If, however, the reaction mixture is diluted with 3-4 volumes of water, steam distilled to remove the unreacted benzaldehyde, the residue may then be rendered alkaline with sodium hydroxide solution. A few grams of decolourising carbon are added, the mixture boiled for several minutes, and filtered through a fluted filter paper. Upon acidifying carefully with concentrated hydrochloric acid, cinnamic acid is precipitated. This is collected, washed and purified as above. 

Aromatic aldehydes react with the dimedone reagent (Section 111,70,2). All aromatic aldehydes (i) reduce ammoniacal silver nitrate solution and (ii) restore the colour of SchifiF s reagent many react with sodium bisulphite solution. They do not, in general, reduce Fehling s solution or Benedict s solution. Unlike aliphatic aldehydes, they usually undergo the Cannizzaro reaction (see Section IV,123) under the influence of sodium hydroxide solution. For full experimental details of the above tests, see under Ali-phalic Aldehydes, Section 111,70. They are easily oxidised by dilute alkaline permanganate solution at the ordinary temperature after removal of the manganese dioxide by sulphur dioxide or by sodium bisulphite, the acid can be obtained by acidification of the solution. 

Aromatic aldehydes, and also aliphatic aldehydes containing no a-hydrogen atom, undergo the Cannizzaro reaction (see Section IV,123) when treated with aqueous alkali, for example ... 

Synthesis A mild base must be used to avoid the Cannizzaro reaction. The hydroxy acid A caimotbe isolated and cyclises spontaneously. (Fleming p.92). 

Hydroxyalkylthiazoles are also obtained by cyclization or from alkoxyalkyl-thiazoles by hydrolysis (36, 44, 45, 52, 55-57) and by lithium aluminium hydride reduction of the esters of thiazolecarboxylic acids (58-60) or of the thiazoleacetic adds. The Cannizzaro reaction of 4-thiazolealdehyde gives 4-(hydroxymethyl)-thiazole (53). The main reactions of hydroxyalkyl thiazoles are the synthesis of halogenated derivatives by the action of hydrobroraic acid (55, 61-63), thionyl chloride (44, 45, 63-66), phosphoryl chloride (52, 62, 67), phosphorus penta-chloride (58), tribromide (38, 68), esterification (58, 68-71), and elimination that leads to the alkenylthiazoles (49, 72). 

Furfural can be oxidized to 2-furoic acid [88-14-2] reduced to 2-furanmethanol [98-00-0] referred to herein as furfuryl alcohol, or converted to furan by decarbonylation over selected catalysts. With concentrated sodium hydroxide, furfural undergoes the Cannizzaro reaction yielding both 2-furfuryl alcohol and sodium 2-furoate [57273-36-6]. 

Formaldehyde is readily reduced to methanol by hydrogen over many metal and metal oxide catalysts. It is oxidized to formic acid or carbon dioxide and water. The Cannizzaro reaction gives formic acid and methanol. Similarly, a vapor-phase Tischenko reaction is catalyzed by copper (34) and boric acid (38) to produce methyl formate ... 

Prior to the commercial development of this process benzyl alcohol was obtained from benzaldehyde [100-52-7] which undergoes the Cannizzaro reaction (2) upon treatment with potassium hydroxide. High yields of benzyl alcohol and potassium benzoate are obtained by this route which cannot compete with the present day process because of the high cost of benzaldehyde (qv). 

In general, the carbonyl derivatives of isothiazole behave normally and condense readily with carbonyl reagents. The aldehydes reduce ammoniacal silver nitrate and undergo the Cannizzaro reaction. ... 

The Cannizzaro reaction takes place by nucleophilic addition of OH- to an aldehyde to give a tetrahedral intermediate, which expels hydride ion as a leaving group and is thereby oxidized. A second aldehyde molecule accepts the hydride ion in another nucleophilic addition step and is thereby reduced. Benzaldehyde, for instance, yields benzyl alcohol plus benzoic acid when heated with aqueous NaOH. 

This reaction of aromatic aldehydes, ArCHO, resembles the Cannizzaro reaction in that the initial attack [rapid and reversible—step (1)] is by an anion—this time eCN—on the carbonyl carbon atom of one molecule, the donor (125) but instead of hydride transfer (cf. Cannizzaro, p. 216) it is now carbanion addition by (127) to the carbonyl carbon atom of the second molecule of ArCHO, the acceptor (128), that occurs. This, in common with cyanohydrin formation (p. 212) was one of the earliest reactions to have its pathway established— correctly —in 1903. The rate law commonly observed is, as might be expected,... 

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