aldol reaction
The aldol reaction is a fundamental organic chemistry process where two carbonyl compounds, typically aldehydes or ketones, react in the presence of a base to form a β-hydroxy carbonyl compound. This reaction involves the formation of an enolate ion from one carbonyl compound, which then attacks the carbonyl carbon of another, leading to the creation of a new carbon-carbon bond.
After the initial aldol addition, the β-hydroxy carbonyl can undergo dehydration to yield an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compound. This step is often driven by the stability of the resulting double bond, making the aldol reaction a key method for constructing complex molecules in organic synthesis.