Identify the major product of the following reaction:

Step-by-step solution

The given reaction is a Knoevenagel condensation between an active methylene compound and an aldehyde. Nitroacetonitrile ( NC - CH ₂- NO ₂ ) contains highly acidic -hydrogens due to the presence of two strong electron-withdrawing groups ( - CN and - NO ₂ ). The base, sodium ethoxide ( NaOEt ), abstracts an -proton to form a resonance-stabilized carbanion: NC - CH ₂- NO ₂ + EtO ^- NC - CH ^-- NO ₂ + EtOH This carbanion acts as a nucleophile and attacks the electrophilic carbonyl carbon of benzaldehyde ( Ph - CHO ),