If you take an IR of your product, dibenzylidenacetone, you will notice a C=O peak ~1639 cm-1. Define why is the C=O peak showing up at lower wavenumbers (1639 cm-1) than standard C=O frequency (1715 cm-1)?
Explain how would you change the procedures in the experiment if you wished to synthesize benzalacetone, C6H5CH=CHCOCH3? Benzalacetophenone, C6H5CH=CHCOC6H5?
Executed a mixed aldol condensation reaction by reacting an aldehyde with a ketone using sodium hydroxide as our base. Dibenzalacetone was ready by condensation of 1 mole of acetone with two moles of benzaldehyde. Define the intermediate ß-hydroxyketone, undergoes a base catalyzed dehydration step in the presence of base, NaOH.