Clemmensen reduction

The Clemmensen reduction is a chemical reaction used to convert a ketone or aldehyde directly into a hydrocarbon. This process involves treating the carbonyl compound with amalgamated zinc and hydrochloric acid.1

This is a type of reduction, which is a chemical reaction where two hydrogen atoms are added to a carbonyl group, forming an alcohol. While other methods exist for reducing carbonyl compounds, such as using lithium aluminum hydride or sodium borohydride, the Clemmensen reduction specifically achieves the conversion to a hydrocarbon. The reaction is named after Danish chemist Erik Clemmensen.21