It is important to differentiate aldol condensation from various reactions of carbonyl compounds.
- In a case of Perkin reaction, enolate generated by anhydride is aromatic.
- A Claisen condensation contains two ester compounds.
- A Henry reaction contains an aliphatic nitro compound and an aldehyde.
- Dieckmann condensation contains 2 ester groups present in the same molecule, which produces cyclic molecule.
- In Japp–Maitland condensation, water is removed by nucleophilic displacement.