Question

Explain Cross Cannizzaro reaction.

Answer 1

When a mixture of formaldehyde and non-enolisable aldehyde (aldehyde with no α-hydrogen) is treated with a strong base, fomaldehyde is oxidized to formic acid while the other non-enolisable is reduced to alcohol. Formic acid forms sodium formate with NaOH. On acidification, sodium formate is converted into formic acid.

For example