Cinnamic acid was synthesized from benzaldehyde and malonic acid by Knoevenagel reaction with pyridine as catalyst. The effects of various technical parameters such as the reactant proportions, reaction time, the types and the amount of the catalyst on the yield of the products were investigated by orthogonally designed experiments. Under the optimal conditions: O. 02 mol pyridine, molar ratio of benzaldehyde to malonic acid 1 : 3 and r...