Benzyl alcohol and sodium benzoate is obtained by the action of sodium hydroxide on benzaldehyde. This reaction is known as

Options

A. Perkin's reaction
B. Cannizzaro's reaction
C. Sandmeyer's reaction
D. Claisen condensation

Answer

To determine the name of the reaction where benzyl alcohol and sodium benzoate are formed from benzaldehyde in the presence of sodium hydroxide, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**: The reactants in this reaction are benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH).

2. **Understand the Reaction Mechanism**:
- Benzaldehyde has a carbonyl group (C=O) and a hydrogen atom attached to the carbon.
- When sodium hydroxide is added, the hydroxide ion (OH-) acts as a nucleophile and attacks the carbonyl carbon of benzaldehyde.

3. **Formation of Benzyl Alcohol**:
- The nucleophilic attack leads to the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate.
- This intermediate rearranges, resulting in the formation of benzyl alcohol (C6H5CH2OH).

4. **Formation of Sodium Benzoate**:
- A second molecule of benzaldehyde can also undergo a similar reaction with the hydroxide ion, leading to the formation of the benzoate ion (C6H5COO-).
- The benzoate ion can then combine with sodium ions (Na+) from sodium hydroxide to form sodium benzoate (C6H5COONa).

5. **Identify the Type of Reaction**:
- This reaction is characterized by the formation of products from an aldehyde in the presence of a base, and it does not involve the presence of alpha hydrogens.
- The reaction is a classic example of a **Knoevenagel condensation** or **Knoevenagel reaction**, which typically involves the formation of a carbon-carbon bond.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the reaction where benzyl alcohol and sodium benzoate are obtained from benzaldehyde and sodium hydroxide is known as the **Knoevenagel reaction**.

### Final Answer:
The reaction is known as the **Knoevenagel reaction**.