The Phytochemical Reduction of Aldehydes

Acetaldehyde itself is transformed by entirely different mechanisms, partly by acyloin condensation, as was found in 1921, and partly by 

There are two possible mechanisms for forming amyl alcohol from valeraldehyde. It may result from a dismutation, yielding valeric acid and amyl alcohol in equivalent amounts, or it may result from direct hydrogenation of the aldehyde. The yields that are obtained are clear 

Phytochemical Reduction of Aromatic and Aliphatic-Aromatic Aldehydes 

In this class, benzaldehyde has been converted to benzyl alcohol, salicylaldehyde to saligenin, cinnamaldehyde to cinnamyl alcohol and 

L-Lactaldehyde, CHs-CHOH-CHO, is reduced by fermenting yeast to 1,2-propylene glycol. In this reaction 1,2-propylene glycol containing excess of the dextrorotatory component was obtained by Neuberg and Vercellone by means of top yeast. On the other hand, acetol (see p. 84) and methylglyoxal (see p. 85) yield a levorotatory 1,2-propylene 

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