MolDraw › Templates › Name reactions › Cannizzaro reaction
Name reactionsPremium
Cannizzaro reaction template
Premium template. Preview and edit it free in MolDraw; downloading and exporting it is part of MolDraw Pro.
Hydroxide adds to benzaldehyde, the adduct transfers hydride to a second benzaldehyde and a proton swap gives benzoate and benzyl alcohol.
Mechanism step by step
An aldehyde with no α-H disproportionates in strong base: one is oxidised, one reduced
- Hydroxide adds – Tetrahedral intermediate
- Hydride transfer – C–H moves as H⁻ to a second aldehyde
- Proton transfer – The acid protonates the alkoxide
Key points
- Only aldehydes without α-H (HCHO, PhCHO, (CH₃)₃CCHO): others undergo aldol reactions.
- Rate depends on [aldehyde]² and [OH⁻]: hydride transfer is the slow step.
- Crossed Cannizzaro: formaldehyde is oxidised, reducing the other aldehyde.
- Acidifying the mixture turns benzoate into benzoic acid.
Drawn with 121 atoms, 11 arrows, 5 shapes – every one editable in MolDraw.
Sources
How to use this template
- Press Edit in MolDraw. The template opens on the canvas of the free MolDraw editor.
- Change anything: move structures, edit atoms and labels, recolour highlights or delete what you do not need.
- Add your own structures, arrows and text next to it, or combine several templates on one page.
- Export the drawing as PNG, SVG or PDF for slides, worksheets, theses and papers.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cannizzaro reaction template free?
You can preview the Cannizzaro reaction template here and open and edit it in MolDraw for free. Downloading or exporting it is part of MolDraw Pro, together with the other premium templates.
Can I edit the Cannizzaro reaction template?
Yes. It opens as an ordinary MolDraw drawing, so every structure, arrow, label and colour can be changed, and you can add your own content around it.
Is the chemistry checked?
Every structure is checked with RDKit and every curly arrow passes MolDraw’s electron-flow audit. The sources used are listed on this page.
Which name reactions are included?
Over seventy, covering the reactions most often asked in school-leaving exams (A-level, IB, CBSE, JEE and NEET) and first-year university courses, including condensations, rearrangements, oxidations, reductions and aromatic substitutions.