Answer to Question #88816 in Organic Chemistry for rebaone

Question

complete the structure of zn(hg) , hcl ,oh with clemenson reduction

Answer 1

The Clemmensen reduction is performed by heating an aldehyde/ketone with zinc amalgam (Zn-Hg) in aqueous HCl (see image attached).

The mechanism of the Clemmensen reduction is not much known. One thing reasonably certain is that the corresponding alcohols are not intermediates, since alcohols prepared in other ways fail to give the reaction [March’s advanced organic chemistry reactions, mechanisms, and structure, 7^th Edition. Michael B. Smith, 2013, p. 1543]. Thus, alcohols are not substrates of the mentioned reaction.