Zinc amalgam keto acids

Clemmensen reaction. The Clemmensen method of reduction (1913) consists in refluxing a ketone with amalgamated zinc and hydrochloric acid. Acetophenone, for example, is reduced to ethylbenzene. The method is applicable to the reduction of most aromatic-aliphatic ketones to at least some aliphatic and alicyclic ketones, to the y-keto acids obtainable by Friedel-Crafts condensations with succinic anhydride (succinolylation), and to the cyclic ketones formed by intramolecular condensation. 

This reaction was initially reported by Granacher in 1922. It is the preparation of thionic acid by the treatment of Aldol Condensation product from an aldehyde and rhodanine with a base (e.g., NaOH). Therefore, this reaction is known as the Granacher synthesis or Granacher reaction." The prepared thionic acid in this reaction can be further converted into a variety of derivatives under different conditions. For example, it can be transformed into a-thiol acid under a basic sodium amalgam reduction, whereas aliphatic acid is formed under an acidic zinc amalgam reduction. In addition, when the thionic acid is treated with ammonia, a-keto acid is generated, and the thionic acid can be converted into af-carboxyl oxime in reaction with hydroxylamine, from which either cy-amino acid or aliphatic nitrile forms via the treatment of sodium amalgam reduction or acetic anhydride, respectively. 

Reduction of oximino esters, i.e. oximes of keto esters, is very useful for the preparation of amino esters. Reductions are very selective since the oximes are easily reduced by catalytic hydrogenation over 10% palladium on carbon in ethanol (yield 78-82%) I094, by aluminum amalgam in ether (yields 52-87%) [750, 70P5], or by zinc dust in acetic acid (yield 77-78%). None of these reagents attacks the ester group. The last mentioned reaction gives an N-acetyl derivative [1096. ... 

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