Aldol condensations are important in organic synthesis, providing a good way to form carbon–carbon bonds. The Robinson annulation reaction sequence features an aldol condensation; the Wieland-Miescher ketone product is an important starting material for many organic syntheses. Aldol condensations are also commonly discussed in university level organic chemistry classes as a good bond-forming reaction that demonstrates important reaction mechanisms.[1][2][3] In its usual form, it involves the nucleophilic addition of a ketoneenolate to an aldehyde to form a β-hydroxy ketone, or "aldol" (aldehyde + alcohol), a structural unit found in many naturally occurring molecules and pharmaceuticals.[4][5][6]
The name aldol condensation is also commonly used, especially in biochemistry, to refer to the aldol reaction itself, as catalyzed by aldolases. However, the aldol reaction is not formally a condensation reaction because it does not involve the loss of a small molecule.
The reactions between a ketone and an aldehyde (crossed aldol condensation) or between two aldehydes also go by the name Claisen-Schmidt condensation. These reactions are named after two of its pioneering investigators Rainer Ludwig Claisen and J. G. Schmidt, who independently published on this topic in 1880 and 1881.[7][8][9] An example is the synthesis of dibenzylideneacetone.
Ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate and campholenic aldehyde react in an Aldol condensation.[13] The synthetic procedure [14] is typical for this type of reactions. In the process in addition to water, an equivalent of ethanol and carbondioxide are lost in decarboxylation.
Due to epimerization through a common enolate ion (intermediate A) the reaction product has (R,R) cis configuration and not (R,S) trans as in the starting material. Because it is only the cis isomer that precipitates from solution this product is formed exclusively.
^Continuous catalytic ‘‘one-pot’’ multi-step synthesis of 2-ethylhexanal from crotonaldehyde Tsunetake Seki, Jan-Dierk Grunwaldt and Alfons Baiker Chem. Commun., 2007, 3562–3564 doi:DOI: 10.1039/b710129e
^ (E)-6-(2,2,3-Trimethyl-cyclopent-3-enyl)-hex-4-en-3-one Concepcion Bada, Juan M. Castro, Pablo J. Linares-Palomino, Sofia Salido, Joaquan Altarejos Manuel Nogueras, Adolfo Sanchez, Molbank2004, M388 Online Publication
^ Ethyl 2-methylacetoacetate (2) is added to a stirred solution of sodium hydride in dioxane. Then campholenic aldehyde (1) is added and the mixture refluxed for 15 h. Then 2N hydrochloric acid is added and the mixture extracted with diethyl ether. The combined organic layers are washed with 2N hydrochloric acid, saturated sodium bicarbonate and brine. The organic phase is dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and the solvent evaporated under reduced pressure to yield a residue which was purified by vacuum distillation to give 3 (58%).
^ M. B. Goren, E. A. Sokoloski and H. M. Fales (2005). "2-Methyl-(1Z,3E)-butadiene-1,3,4-tricarboxylic Acid, "Isoprenetricarboxylic Acid"". J. Org. Chem.70 (18): 7429–7431. doi:10.1021/jo0507892.
^ J. A. Varela, C. Gonzalez-Rodriguez, S. G. Rubin, L. Castedo and C. Saa (2006). "Ru-Catalyzed Cyclization of Terminal Alkynals to Cycloalkenes". J. Am. Chem. Soc.128 (30): 9576–9577. doi:10.1021/ja0610434.
^Simple and Effective Protocol for Claisen-Schmidt Condensation of Hindered Cyclic Ketones with Aromatic Aldehydes Valeriy Vashchenko, Lidiya Kutulya, Alexander Krivoshey Synthesis 2007: 2125-2134 doi:10.1055/s-2007-983746