Question

a.Describe three ways the following reaction can be carried out:

b.Describe two ways the following reaction can be carried out:

Short answer

a.

b.

Step-by-step solution

Clemmensen Reduction

Clemmensen reduction is the organic chemical reaction that uses zinc amalgam (Zn-Hg) and concentrated HCl for the reduction of ketones or aldehydes into alkanes.The reduction happens on the surface of the zinc. This reaction allows deoxygenation of carbonyl compounds especially ketone or aldehyde to form the corresponding hydrocarbon.

Clemmensen Reduction

Wolf-Kishner Reduction

Wolf-Kishner Reduction is defined as reduction reaction that involves the reduction of aldehydes and ketones with hydrazine in the presence of strong base to yield alkanes.This reaction is carried out by condensation of the carbonyl compound with hydrazine that form the hydrazine, and further undergoes treatment with base induces the reduction of carbon coupled with oxidation of hydrazine to nitrogen atom, and results in corresponding alkane.

Wolf-Kishner Reduction

Reaction (a)

This reaction can be synthesized using Clemmensen Reduction, Wolf kishner reduction and hydrogenation reaction.

There are three ways to carry out reaction in part (a) as compare to part (b) which having two. Because only a carbonyl group adjacent to benzene ring can be reduced to a methylene group by H₂, Pd/C,as shown below:

Reaction (a)

Reaction (b)

This reaction can be synthesized using Clemmensen Reduction and Wolf Kishner reduction reaction.

Reaction (b)