Chemical Sciences: A Manual for CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test for Lectureship and JRF/Named Reactions/Perkin Reaction

The Perkin reaction is an organic reaction developed by William Henry Perkin that can be used to make cinnamic acids by the aldol condensation of aromatic aldehydes and acid anhydrides in the presence of an alkali salt of the acid.



Several reviews have been written.

Reaction mechanism


The above mechanism is not universally accepted, as several versions exist, including decarboxylation without acetic group transfer.