What Happens When a Ketone Is Reduced?
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3 min read
The reduction of a ketone is a fundamental transformation in organic chemistry, reliably converting a carbonyl group ($>C=O$) into a hydroxyl group ($-OH$). This reaction results in the formation of a secondary alcohol, a crucial building block in synthetic chemistry. The process involves the addition of two hydrogen atoms across the carbon-oxygen double bond, mediated by specific reducing agents.