VIOLOGENS THAT PLUNDER ELECTRON FROM SOLID REDUCING AGENT. REDUCTION OF ARYL KETONES BY ZINC POWDER IN THE PRESENCE OF PROPYL VIOLOGEN AS AN ELECTRON TRANSFER CATALYST

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)88948-0

It was found that viologen (propyl viologen) acted as an Electron Transfer Catalyst (ETC) in the reduction of aryl ketones with zinc powder. α-Diketones undertook the two-electron reduction to obtain the corresponding benzoins in good yields and aromatic ketones could one-electron reduced selectively to give the corresponding pinacols.