244: Investigation into the aldol condensation clock reaction

Abstract: The reaction between an aldehyde and a ketone in the presence of a strong base is an example of an aldol condensation reaction. Both reactants have a carbonyl group, and in the mixed (or crossed) reaction, the enolate ion from one compound reacts with the carbonyl carbon of another, forming a new carbon-carbon bond. Due to the nature of the reaction mechanism, a mixed aldol reaction can be considered a clock reaction, in which one substance is added to another until a critical condition produces a visible change in the solution. The change occurs suddenly, and the time elapsed represents the clock period. The process can be described by the initial relatively slow production of an intermediate chemical species, followed by the rapid consumption of the intermediate by a second limiting species, and the final visible change once the limiting species has been consumed. In the work presented here, different species and conditions will be investigated for their impact on the mixed aldol clock reaction. Different reactants (e.g., aldehyde, ketone, strong base) will be investigated, along with reaction conditions including volumes, concentrations, and temperature.