One-electron reduction

A one-electron reduction in organic chemistry involves the transfer of an electron from a metal to an organic substrate. It serves to differentiate between true organic reductions and other reductions such as hydride transfer reactions that actually involve two-electron species.

The first intermediate in a one-electron reduction is often a radical anion, which then engages in secondary reactions. In the Birch reduction, the secondary reaction is proton abstraction from an alcohol. This reaction type is also called a dissolving metal reduction. Alkyne reduction to an alkene in the liquid ammonia/sodium system follows the same theme. The first radical anion intermediate abstracts a proton from ammonia to the free radical. A second one-electron transfer leads to the anion, which also abstracts a proton to the neutral alkene.

In the Wurtz reaction, two radical intermediates dimerize in a coupling reaction. Likewise, acetone is converted to pinacol with a magnesium-mercury amalgam in a pinacol coupling reaction. Acyloin condensation couples two carboxylic acids to a α-hydroxyketone. Reactions of this type are also called reductive couplings. In the Clemmensen reduction of ketones to alkanes with zinc-mercury amalgam, the intermediate is an organozinc carbenoid.

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