The past three labs were all steps in a multi-step synthesis of tetraphenylcyclopentadienone. The first reaction for this process what a condensation of benzaldehyde, producing benzoin. The reaction required a connection of carbonyl carbons of the benzaldehyde, which had to be made nucleophihlic. A catalytic agent, thiamine HCl, was used to create a nucleophilic carbanion of one of the aldehydes that attacked the carbonyl carbon of the other aldehyde. The next reaction was an oxidation of benzoin into the product benzil. For this part in the synthesis, a redox cycle takes places as the benzoin donates an electron to Cu2+ ion of cupric acetate forming the benzoin radical cation. The benzoin radical cation then loses a proton to the acetate
