What is the Difference Between Benzaldehyde and Benzophenone?

Benzaldehyde and benzophenone are both aromatic carbonyl compounds, but they have distinct differences in their structures and chemical properties. The key difference between benzaldehyde and benzophenone is that benzaldehyde is an aldehyde, whereas benzophenone is a ketone. Some other differences between these two compounds include:

• Chemical Formula: Benzaldehyde has the chemical formula C6H5CHO, while benzophenone has the formula C13H10O.
• Structure: Benzaldehyde has a phenyl group attached to the carbonyl group, while benzophenone has two phenyl groups attached to both sides of the carbonyl carbon.
• Reactivity: Benzaldehyde is more reactive than benzophenone towards nucleophilic addition.

Conversion of benzaldehyde to benzophenone involves a three-step reaction:

1. Formation of Benzoic acid: Benzaldehyde is treated with potassium permanganate (KMnO4) to oxidize it, which results in the formation of benzoic acid.
2. Formation of Benzene: The benzoic acid formed is then treated with sodium hydroxide and calcium oxide in the presence of heat, forming benzene.
3. Formation of Benzophenone: Finally, benzene is reacted with benzoyl chloride in the presence of aluminum chloride to form benzophenone, which is also called Friedel-Crafts acylation.

Comparative Table: Benzaldehyde vs Benzophenone

Benzaldehyde and benzophenone are two different organic compounds with distinct properties and uses. Here is a comparison table highlighting their key differences:

Benzaldehyde is an aromatic aldehyde with the chemical formula C6H5CHO, while benzophenone is an aromatic ketone with the chemical formula C13H10O. The main difference between these two compounds is that benzaldehyde has one phenyl group attached to the carbonyl group, whereas benzophenone has two phenyl groups attached to both sides of the carbonyl carbon.