Reduction of the carbonyl group to CH₂ occurs with zinc-amalgam and concentrated hydrochloric acid (Clemmensen reduction) or hydrazine followed by heating with sodium or potassium hydroxide in ethylene glycol (Wolff-Kishner reduction).
Describe the reduction of the carbonyl group to hydrocarbons in aldehydes and ketones, and mention the reagents involved in Clemmensen and Wolff-Kishner reductions.
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The reduction of the carbonyl group to hydrocarbons in aldehydes and ketones can be achieved through different methods. The Clemmensen reduction involves the use of zinc amalgam (Zn[Hg]) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) at elevated temperatures, leading to the formation of hydrocarbons by reducing the carbonyl group to a methylene group (CH₂). The Wolff-Kishner reduction utilizes a strong base, typically hydrazine (N₂H₄), under high-temperature conditions, often with the addition of a base like potassium hydroxide (KOH), resulting in the conversion of the carbonyl group to a methylene group without affecting other functional groups.