Synthesis of α-Amyl Cinnamaldehyde

α-Amyl cinnamaldehyde was synthesized from benzaldehyde and n-heptanal by aldol condensation with catalyst potassium hydroxide in solvent ethylene glycol.The effects of different solvents,catalyst amount,mole ratio of benzaldehyde and n-heptanal,reaction time and ethylene glycol amount on the yields of α-amyl cinnamaldehyde were investigated.The optimal condition was as follows:w(cat)=17.5%(n-heptanal),n(benzaldehyde) ∶ n(n-heptanal)=1.5 ∶ 1,reaction time 6 h,ethylene glycol 190.0 g.The yield of α-amyl cinnamaldehyde based on n-heptanal was more than 90.5%,and the amount of byproduct amyl nonenal was less than 1.0%.