Claisen and Cannizzaro Reactions

In the solvent-free reactions, however, a strong base such as Bu OK can be used for any kind of ester substrate, since such exchange does not occur. This is also a considerable advantage. 

After a mixture of powdered 1-formylnaphthalene (48) and powdered KOH was kept at 100 °C for 5 min, water was added to the reaction mixture, which was filtered to give l-(hydroxymethyl)naphthalene (50), after Kugelrohr distillation, in 38% yield. The filtrate was acidified with concentrated HCl and filtered to 

The solvent-free Cannizzaro reaction has some advantages. In addition to simplicity and cleanness of the procedure, the solvent-free reaction proceeds much faster than a solution reaction. For example, reaction of 51 in 60% aqueous NaOH takes 24 h to complete [10], although the solvent-free reaction is completed within 5 min [9]. 

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Yoshizawa, K., Toyota, S., Toda, F. Solvent-free Claisen and Cannizzaro reactions. Tetrahedron Lett. 2001,42, 7983-7985. 

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