12. ALDEHYDES, KETONES AND CARBOXYLIC ACIDS

3. Answer in brief.

iii. What is the action of hydrazine on cyclopentanone in presence of —. KOH in ethylene glycol ?

Answer:-

  1. The action of hydrazine on cyclopentanone in the presence of KOH in ethylene glycol is known as the Wolff-Kishner reduction. This reaction is used to convert ketones like cyclopentanone into their corresponding alkanes by removing the carbonyl group. The specific conditions for this reaction involve the following:

    1. Hydrazine (N2H4): It acts as a reducing agent in this reaction, and its reaction with the ketone leads to the formation of a hydrazone intermediate.

    2. KOH (Potassium Hydroxide): It serves as a base and facilitates the deprotonation of hydrazine to form N2H3^- ions, which can react with the ketone.

    3. Ethylene Glycol: Ethylene glycol is used as a solvent in this reaction.

    The Wolff-Kishner reduction is an important method for converting carbonyl compounds into alkanes, and it is particularly useful for compounds that are sensitive to other reduction methods, such as lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) or sodium borohydride (NaBH4).

12. ALDEHYDES, KETONES AND CARBOXYLIC ACIDS page 281