Chemistry > Aldehydes and Ketones > 16.0 Reduction of Aldehyde and Ketones

  Aldehydes and Ketones
    1.0 Introduction
    2.0 Methods of Preparation
    3.0 Physical Properties
    4.0 Relative Reactivities of Carbonyl Compounds
    5.0 Addition of Carbon Nucleophiles
    6.0 Haloform Reactions
    7.0 Aldol Condensations
    8.0 Claisen Condensation
    9.0 Intramolecular Claisen Condensation
    10.0 Cannizzaro Reaction
    11.0 Reformatsky Reaction
    12.0 Addition of Nitrogen Nucleophiles
    13.0 Addition of Oxygen Nucleophile
    14.0 Addition of Sulphur Nucleophile
    15.0 Oxidation of Aldehydes And Ketones
    16.0 Reduction of Aldehyde and Ketones
    17.0 Other Reactions Of Aldehydes And Ketones

16.2 Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley Reduction

The reaction involves reduction of aldehydes or ketones to alcohol by treating it with aluminium isopropoxide in excess of isopropyl alcohol

The reaction is reversible. The reverse reaction, called OPPENAUR Oxidation, is employed for the oxidation of alcohols, using aluminium tert-butoxide as catalyst in presence of excess acetone.

The reaction shifts in the forward direction by the removal of acetone by distillation. The reaction occurs under mild condition, is rapid, side reactions are negligible and the yield is high. The reaction is specific for $ > C = O$group, other reducible groups such as $ > C{\text{ }} = {\text{ }}C < ,{\text{ }}N{O_2}$ etc., present in the substrate remain unaffected. If a compound contains two$ > C{\text{ }} = {\text{ }}O$ groups, one may be protected by acetal formation and other is then reduced. Ketones with high enol content, e.g. $\beta $-diketones, $\beta $-keto esters, etc. do not give this reaction.

Mechanism: The reaction probably involves a cyclic transition state (I) in which a H– ion from the $\alpha - CH$ bond of the alkoxide migrates to the $ > C{\text{ }} = {\text{ }}O$ carbon of the ketone to yield the mixed alkoxide (II).


An excess of isopropyl alcohol is used so that it exchanges with the mixed alkoxide (II) to liberate the reduced ketone (III) i.e. the desired alcohol.

Thus, for the reduction one hydrogen is supplied by the catalyst and the other hydrogen by the solvent.




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