Solvent-Free Conversion of alpha-Naphthaldehyde to 1-Naphthoic Acid and 1-Naphthalenemethanol: Application of the Cannizzaro Reaction

Abstract

The Cannizzaro reaction is routinely covered in organic textbooks, but owing to the shortage of suitable procedures for the undergraduate teaching laboratory, this reaction is seldom performed in a first-year organic chemistry class. In this experiment, powdered potassium hydroxide and α-naphthaldehyde are heated under solvent-free conditions to produce 1-naphthoic acid and 1-naphthalenemethanol in 86% and 79% yields, respectively. The solvent-free nature of this procedure greatly reduces the quantity of waste generated by students relative to the typical solvent-based method of preparation.