Question

Benzaldehyde can be converted to benzyl alcohol in concentrated aqueous $NaOH$ solution using

• A. acetone
• B. acetaldehyde
• C. formic acid
• D. formaldehyde

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Benzaldehyde can be converted to benzyl alcohol in concentrated aq. $NaOH$ solution using formaldehyde.

This reaction is known as Cannizzaro reaction, where one molecule of benzaldehyde is reduced to alcohol while formaldehyde is oxidised to carboxylic acid salt. Aldehydes, which do not have an $\alpha$-hydrogen atom undergo this type of reaction