Acetone undergoes reduction with hydrazine in the presence of NaOH to form propane. The reaction is known as
the Clemmensen reduction.
The reaction you are referring to is known as the Wolff-Kishner reduction. It is used to convert carbonyl compounds, such as acetone, into the corresponding hydrocarbon, in this case, propane. The reaction proceeds through a series of steps involving the generation of a hydrazone intermediate, followed by its reaction with a strong base. Here is a step-by-step explanation of the Wolff-Kishner reduction reaction using acetone as an example:
Step 1: Formation of the hydrazone
Acetone (CH3-CO-CH3) reacts with hydrazine (N2H4) to form a hydrazone compound. This reaction occurs in the presence of a catalyst such as NaOH. The reaction can be represented as follows:
CH3-CO-CH3 + N2H4 → CH3-CO-NHNH2 + H2O
Step 2: Formation of the alkene
The hydrazone compound, formed in Step 1, is highly reactive towards strong bases. In the presence of NaOH, the hydrazone reacts to eliminate nitrogen gas (N2) and form the corresponding alkene. In this case, acetone hydrazone converts to propane. The reaction can be represented as follows:
CH3-CO-NHNH2 + NaOH → CH3-CH3 + N2 + H2O
Overall, the Wolff-Kishner reduction converts the carbonyl compound, acetone, into the hydrocarbon, propane, through the elimination of nitrogen gas.