The carbon attached to carbonyl carbon is called α – carbon and the hydrogen atom attached to α – carbon is called α – hydrogen. In presence of dilute base NaOH, or KOH, two molecules of an aldehyde or ketone having α – hydrogen add together to give β – hydroxyl aldehyde (aldol) or β – hydroxyl ketone (ketol). The reaction is called aldol condensation reaction. The aldol or ketol readily loses water to give α, β – unsaturated compounds which are aldol condensation products.
Acetaldehyde when warmed with dil.NaOH gives β – hydroxyl butraldehyde (acetaldol)
