BENZOIN

:''"Benzoin" is also used to describe benzoin resin, which does not contain the benzoin described on this page.''
'Benzoin' or '2-Hydroxy-2-phenylacetophenone' or '2-Hydroxy-1,2-Diphenylethanone ' or 'desyl alcohol' or 'bitter almond oil camphor' is an organic compound consisting of an ethylene bridge flanked by phenyl groups and with a hydroxyl and a ketone functional group. It comes as off-white crystals, with a light camphor odor. Benzoin is synthesized from benzaldehyde in the benzoin condensation.
Its main uses are:

★ photocatalyst in photopolymerization and a photoinitiator

★ raw material for benzil by organic oxidation with nitric acid or oxone. In one study,^[1] this reaction is carried out with atmospheric oxygen and basic alumina in dichloromethane.
Benzoin is 'not' a constituent of benzoin resin obtained from the benzoin tree (Styrax) or tincture of benzoin. The main component in these natural products is benzoic acid.

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References

References

1. A very simple and chemoselective air oxidation of benzoins to benzils using alumina, Konstantinos Skobridis, Vassiliki Theodorou, Edwin Weber, , , Arkivoc,