Acetaldehyde undergoes aldol condensation, but benzaldehyde undergoes the Cannizzaro reaction. What structural feature is the primary reason for this difference in behavior?
Q1. Acetaldehyde undergoes aldol condensation, but benzaldehyde undergoes the Cannizzaro reaction. What structural feature is the primary reason for this difference in behavior?
Answer: Presence of alpha-hydrogen atoms
Explanation: Aldol condensation requires alpha-hydrogens to form an enolate, whereas Cannizzaro occurs in aldehydes lacking alpha-hydrogens like benzaldehyde or formaldehyde.