What is Perkin Reaction?
Perkin Reaction is an organic chemical reaction which was discovered by William Henry Perkin, an English chemist. This reaction yields an α, β -unsaturated aromatic acid.
Perkin’s reaction mechanism includes the reaction between aromatic aldehydes, the aliphatic acid anhydride, and the alkali salt of the acid to give cinnamic acid derivatives. The Perkin reaction is an organic chemical reaction named after its discoverer – William Henry Perkin.
Example:-
The Perkin reaction gives an alpha, beta-unsaturated aromatic acid via the aldol condensation of an aromatic aldehyde and an acid anhydride. The alkali salt of the acid is also present. This alkali salt acts as a base catalyst. Other bases can be used instead of the alkali salt of the acid in the Perkin reaction.
Given below is an illustration of the Perkin reaction.
One of the most important applications of the Perkin reaction is the laboratory synthesis of phytoestrogenic stilbene resveratrol. The Perkin reaction can be considered as a type of condensation reaction.