What product will be formed on reaction of propanal with 2-methylpropanal in the presence of NaOH? Write the name of the reaction also.

Explanation

Propanal and 2-methylpropanal both have `alpha`-hydrogens and hence can undergo cross aldol condensation in which each one of them can act either an electrophile or a nucleophile thereby giving two cross aldol products. Thus,
(i) `underset("Propanal (electrophile)")(CH_(3) overset(alpha)(C)H_(2)-overset(O)overset(||)(C)-H)+ underset("2-Methylpropanal (Nucleophile)")(CH_(3)-overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(.^(alpha)C)H-CHO) underset(("Cross aldol condensation"))overset(Dil.NaOH)to underset("3-Hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpentanal")(overset(5)(C)H_(3)overset(4)(C)H_(2)-overset(OH)overset(|)(.^(3)(C))H-underset(CH_(3))underset(|)overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(.^(2)(C))-underset(1)overset(O)overset(||)(C)-H)`
(ii) `underset("2-Methylpropanal (Electrophile)")(CH_(3)-overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(C)H-overset(O)overset(||)(C)-H)+ underset("Propanal (Nucleophile)")(CH_(3)CH_(2)-overset(O)overset(||)(C)-H) underset(("Cross aldol condensation"))overset(Dil.NaOH)to underset("3-Hydroxy-2,4-dimethylpentanal")(underset(5)(C)H_(3)-underset(4)overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(C)H-underset(3)overset(OH)overset(|)(C)H-underset(2)overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(C)H-underset(1)(C)HO)`
Besides, cross aldol condensation each aldehyde can also undergo self or simple aldol condensation giving two self or simple aldol products.
(iii) `underset("Propanal")(CH_(3)-overset(alpha)(C)H_(2)-overset(O)overset(||)(C)-H)+ CH_(3)-underset("Propanal")(overset(alpha)(C)H_(2)-overset(O)overset(||)(C)-H) underset(("Aldol condensation")) overset(Dil.NaOH)to underset("3-Hydroxy-2-methylpentanal")(overset(5)(C)H_(3)-overset(4)(C)H_(2)-underset(3)overset(OH)overset(|)(C)H-underset(2)overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(C)H-underset(1)(C)HO)`
(iv). `CH_(3)-underset(alpha)overset(CH_(3)) overset(|)(C)H-CHO+CH_(3)-underset(alpha)overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(C)H-CHO underset(("Aldol condensation")) overset(Dil.NaOH)to underset("3-Hydroxy-2-2,4-trimethylpentanal")(overset(5)(C)H_(3)-overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(.^(4)C)H-overset(OH)overset(|)(.^(3)C)H-underset(CH_(3))underset(|)overset(CH_(3))overset(|)(.^(2)C)-overset(1)(C)HO)`