Benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO) is the simplest and the most industrially useful member

of the family of aromatic aldehydes. Benzaldehyde exists in nature, primarily in

combined form such as glycoside in Almond, apricot, cherry and peach seeds. The
characteristics benzaldehyde odour of oil of bitter almond occurs because of trace
amounts of free benzaldehyde formed by hydrolysis of the glycoside amygladin.
Amygladin was first isolated in 1830 from the seed of the bitter almond sometime
later Liebeg and Wohler found that when amygladin was hydrolyzed with water and
emulsion.
Benzaldehyde is produced by many process like chlorination of Toluene (liquid
phase)- oxidation of toluene( liquid phase) & (vapour phase). The hydrolysis of
benzalchloride is, which is produced by side chain chlorination of toluene, is older of
the two process. Other process includes-oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Reduction of
benzoyl chloride-Reaction of carbonmonoxide and benzene.have been utilized in the
past, but they no longer have any industrial application.
There is considerable demand for chlorine free benzaldehyde as it is used in
pharmaceutical industry. As multinational is being coming up the competition is
been developing and major challenge faced by the industry is purity of product (free
from chlorine). Oxidation builds up the chlorination process material has large
demand in soap and perfume industry.
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BENZALDEHYDE
PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
CAS NO.
100-52-7
EINECS NO.
202-860-4
FORMULA
C6H5CHO
MOL WT.
106.12
H.S. CODE
2912.21
TOXICITY
Oral rat LD50: 1300 mg/kg
SYNONYMS
Benzenecarboxaldehyde; Benzoic aldehyde;
Artificial Almond Oil; Benzenecarbonal; Phenylmethanal; Almond artificial essential oil;
Phenylmethanal benzenecarboxaldehyde; Benzadehyde; Benzene carbaldehyde;
Phenylmethanal;
DERIVATION
CLASSIFICATION
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL STATE
Colourless to yellow liquid with bitter almonds odor
MELTING POINT
-26 C
BOILING POINT
179 C
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
1.044

SOLUBILITY IN WATER Soluble

pH
VAPOR DENSITY
AUTOIGNITION
192 C
NFPA RATINGS
Health: 2 Flammability: 2 Reactivity: 0
REFRACTIVE INDEX
1.5450
FLASH POINT
64 C
STABILITY
Stable under ordinary conditions
GENERAL DESCRIPTION & APPLICATIONS
Benzaldehyde(also called Benzenecarbonal) is the simplest representative of the aromatic
aldehydes. It is a colorless liquid aldehyde with a characteristic almond odor. It boils at 180C, is
soluble in ethanol, but is insoluble in water. Benzaldehyde is formed by partial oxidation of benzyl
alcohol and readily oxidized to benzoic acid and is converted to addition products by hydrocyanic
acid or sodium bisulfite. It is also prepared by oxidation of toluene or benzyl chloride or by
treating benzal chloride with an alkali, e.g., sodium hydroxide. It is used chiefly in the synthesis of
other organic compounds, ranging from pharmaceuticals to plastic additives and benzaldehyde is
an important intermediate for the processing of perfume and flavouring compounds and in the
preparation of certain aniline dyes . It is the first step in the synthesis for fragrances. It
undergoes simultaneous oxidation and reduction with alcoholic potassium hydroxide, giving
potassium benzoate and benzyl alcohol. It is converted to benzoin with alcoholic potassium
cyanide, with anhydrous sodium acetate and acetic anhydride, giving cinnamic acid. Compounds
which do not have alpha-hydrogen atoms cannot form an enolate ion and do not undergo
electrophilic alpha-substitution and aldol condensation. Aromatic aldehydes such as
benzaldehyde and formaldehyde may undergo disproportionation in concentrated alkali
(Cannizaro's reaction); one molecule of the aldehyde is reduced to the corresponding alcohol and
another molecule is simultaneously oxidized to the salt of a carboxylic acid. The speed of the
reaction depends on the substituents in the aromatic ring. Two different types of aldehydes
(aromatic and aliphatic) can undergo crossing reaction to form fomaldehyde and aromatic
alcohols.
SALES SPECIFICATION
APPEARANCE
Clear to yellow liquid
ASSAY
99.0% min
TOLUENE
0.1% max
CHLORINE
20ppm max
ACIDITY
0.5% max (as Benzoic Acid)
BOILING POINT
177-182 C
RELATIVE DENSITY
1.041 - 1.043 at 20 C
TRANSPORTATION
PACKING
210kgs in Drum
HAZARD CLASS
9 (Packing Group: III )
UN NO.
1990
OTHER INFORMATION
Hazard Symbols: XN, Risk Phrases: 22, Safety Phrases: 24

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