Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Clemmensen reduction: Reduction of a ketone to a methylene group (or an aldehyde to a methyl group) with Zn/Hg and hydrochloric acid (aqueous HCl). The zinc dissolves during the course of the reaction, so this reaction is an example of a dissolving metal reduction.


Clemmensen reduction of acetophenone gives ethylbenzene.