Clemmensen Reduction
Mediumchemistry
Clemmensen reduction converts:
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Solution
Incorrect! Answer:
Carbonyl to alkane
The Clemmensen Reduction is used to reduce the carbonyl group (C=O) of aldehydes and ketones directly into a methylene group (−CH2−).
- Reagents: Zinc Amalgam (Zn−Hg) and concentrated Hydrochloric acid (HCl).
- Application: It is highly effective for converting aromatic ketones to alkylbenzenes.
- Note: Because it uses concentrated acid, it is not suitable for substrates containing acid-sensitive groups. In such cases, the basic Wolff-Kishner reduction is used instead.
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About This Question
- Subject
- chemistry
- Chapter
- organic compounds containing oxygen
- Topic
- clemmensen reduction
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
Carbonyl to alkane
The Clemmensen Reduction is used to reduce the carbonyl group (C=O) of aldehydes and ketones directly into a methylene group (−CH2−).
- Reagents: Zinc Amalgam (Zn−Hg) and concentrated Hydrochloric acid (HCl).
- Application: It is highly effective for converting aromatic ketones to alkylbenzenes.
- Note: Because it uses concentrated acid, it is not suitable for substrates containing acid-sensitive groups. In such cases, the basic Wolff-Kishner reduction is used instead.
This medium difficulty chemistry question is from the chapter organic compounds containing oxygen, covering the topic of clemmensen reduction. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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