Aldol Condensation
The base-catalysed reaction of two carbonyl compounds to give a beta-hydroxy carbonyl, which often dehydrates to an enone.
Formula / equation
2RCH₂CHO → RCH₂CH(OH)CHRCHO
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
A base removes an alpha hydrogen to give a resonance-stabilised enolate, which attacks the carbonyl carbon of a second molecule. The reaction requires at least one alpha hydrogen and is a fundamental way of building carbon skeletons in both the laboratory and metabolism.
Examples in the real world
Ethanal giving 3-hydroxybutanal, which dehydrates on warming to but-2-enal.