Question

How will you prepare ethanol from formaldehyde

Answer 1

The Cannizzaro reaction is initiated by the nucleophilic attack of a hydroxide ion on the carbonyl carbon of an aldehyde molecule by giving a hydrate anion, which can be further deprotonated to give a dianion in a strongly alkaline medium. Note that, in the second step, the hydroxide behaves as a base.
A hydride ion, H- is transferred either from the monoanionic species or dianionic species onto the carbonyl carbon of another aldehyde molecule. The strong electron donating effect of O- groups facilitates the hydride transfer and drives the reaction further. This is the rate determining step of the reaction.