Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Clemmensen
reduction
:
Reduction
of a
ketone
to a
methylene group
(or an
aldehyde
to a
methyl group
) with Zn/Hg and
hydrochloric acid
(
aqueous
HCl
). The zinc dissolves during the course of the reaction, so this reaction is an example of a
dissolving metal reduction
.
Clemmensen
reduction
of
acetophenone
gives
ethyl
benzene
.
Related terms:
Wolff-Kishner reduction
,
Birch reduction
,
name reaction
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