Question

Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced to corresponding hydrocarbons by

• A. Reflux with water
• B. Reflux with strong acids
• C. Refluxing with soda amalgam and water
• D. Refluxing with zinc amalgam and concentrated HCl

Answer 1

The correct option is D Refluxing with zinc amalgam and concentrated HCl

The Clemmensen reduction allows the deoxygenation of aldehydes or ketones, to produce the corresponding hydrocarbon using amalgamated zinc and hydrochloric acid but the substrate must be stable in the presence of strong acid. Therefore option (d) is correct.
$C{H}_{3}C{H}_{2}CHO\underset{HCl}{\overset{Zn-Hg}{\to }}C{H}_{3}C{H}_{2}C{H}_3+H_{2}O$