Question

Explain the following reaction:

Wolff-Kishner reduction

Explain Wolf-Kishner reduction reaction.

Explain the following reaction and write the chemical equation involved:

Wolff-Kishner reduction

Answer 1

In this reaction, the reduction of carbonyl compounds to hydrocarbons takes place by heating them with hydrazine and a base to form hydrazine which is further reduced to form a methylene group along with nitrogen gas.

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\phantom{..}\ce{R}\phantom{....................................}\ce{R}\phantom{......................................}\ce{R}\phantom{.......................}\\
\phantom{..}\backslash\phantom{.....................................}\backslash\phantom{......................................}\backslash\phantom{...................}\\
\phantom{....}\ce{C = \underset{Hydrazine}{O + H2N - NH2} -> C = N - NH2 ->[glycol + KOH][180°C] CH2 + N2(g)}\\
\phantom{..}/\phantom{.....................................}/\phantom{......................................}/\phantom{...................}\\
\phantom{............}\ce{\underset{Carbonyl compound}{R'}}\phantom{........................}\ce{R'}\phantom{................................}\ce{\underset{Hydrocarbon}{R'}}\phantom{.................................}
\end{array}\]