1. 1 Carbonyl Condensation Reactions Carbonyl compounds are both the electrophile and nucleophile in carbonyl condensation reactions

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3. 3 Condensations of Aldehydes and Ketones: The Aldol Reaction Acetaldehyde reacts in basic solution (NaOEt, NaOH) with another molecule of acetaldhyde The  -hydroxy aldehyde product is aldol (aldehyde + alcohol) or a ketol (that name is never used though!) This is a general reaction of aldehydes and ketones

4. 4 The aldol reaction is reversible, favoring the condensation product only for aldehydes with no α substituent. Steric factors decrease the amount of the aldol product. Aldehydes and the Aldol Equilibrium

5. 5 Mechanism of Aldol Reactions

6. 6 Ketones and the Aldol Equilibrium

7. 7 Dehydration of Aldol Products to Enones The β-hydroxy carbonyl products dehydrate to yield conjugated enones The term “condensation” refers to the net loss of water and combination of 2 molecules

8. 8 Dehydration of β -Hydoxy Ketones and Aldehydes The α hydrogen is removed by a base, yielding an enolate ion that expels the OH leaving group Under acidic conditions the OH group is protonated and water is expelled

9. 9 Dehydration of β -Hydoxy Ketones and Aldehydes

10. 10 Removal of water from the aldol reaction product can be used to drive the reaction toward completion. Even if the initial aldol favors reactants, the subsequent dehydration step pushes the reaction to completion.

11. 11 Removal of water from the aldol reaction products drives the reaction toward products completely in case of the conjugation of the resultant double bond of the enone and the aromatic ring.

12. 12 Mixed Aldol Reactions A mixed aldol reaction between two similar aldehyde or ketone partners leads to a mixture of four possible products.

13. 13 Mixed Aldol Reactions

14. 14 Practical Mixed Aldols If one of the carbonyl partners contains no α hydrogens, and the carbonyl is unhindered (such as benzaldehyde and formaldehyde), it is a good electrophile and can react with enolates. In this case a mixed aldol reaction is likely to be successful.

15. 15 Ethyl acetoacetate is completely converted into its enolate anion under less basic conditions than monocarbonyl compounds. Therefore, in mixed aldol condensations with ethyl acetoacetate the latter acts preferentially as a nucleophile. Practical Mixed Aldols

16. 16 Intramolecular Aldol Reactions Treatment of symmetrical dicarbonyl compounds with base produces cyclic products by intramolecular reaction.

17. 17 Mechanism Both the nucleophilic carbonyl anion donor and the electrophilic carbonyl acceptor are now in the same molecule, and the least strained product is formed because the reaction is reversible.

18. 18 Mechanism

19. 19 The Claisen Condensation Reaction Reaction of an ester having an α hydrogen with one equivalent of a base to yield a β-keto ester. Similar to aldol condensation: nucleophilic acyl substitution of an ester enolate anion on the carbonyl group of a second ester molecule. Typically, the starting ester has more than one acidic  hydrogen, abd the product β-keto ester has a doubly activated proton that can be abstracted by a base. Requires a full equivalent of base rather than a catalytic amount. The deprotonation drives the reaction to the product.

20. 20 Mechanism of the Claisen Condensation

21. 21 Mixed Claisen Condensations Successful when one of the two ester act as the electrophilic acceptor in reactions with other ester anions to give mixed β- keto esters.

22. 22 Mechanism of the Mixed Claisen Condensation

23. 23 Synthesis of phenyl ketones

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25. 25 Generalization to the synthesis of any ketones

26. 26 Intramolecular Claisen Condensations: The Dieckmann Cyclization Best with 1,6-diesters (product: 5-membered β-ketoester) and 1,7-diesters (product: 6-membered β-ketoester).

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28. 28 Uses of the Dieckmann Cyclization: Synthesis of Cyclic Ketones.

29. 29 Uses of the Dieckmann Cyclization: Alkylation of Dieckmann Product The cyclic β-keto ester can be further alkylated and decarboxylated as in the acetoacetic ester synthesis to give an alternative route to the α-alkylated cyclic ketones.

30. 30 Uses of the Dieckmann Cyclization: Generation of Cyclic Alcohols, Aldehydes

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