Reduction of aromatic ketones

Reduction of aromatic ketones Definition:

When treated with a metal catalyst such as palladium (Pd) or platinum (Pt) and hydrogen gas (H₂) ketones next to aromatic groups are converted to alkanes.

Reduction of aromatic ketones Explained:

This is the redox reaction in which the acyl group can be completely reduced to alkyl group by using palladium-catalyzed hydrogenation. Conversely, the methylene group next to the aromatic ring in an alkylarene is susceptible to oxidation to the carbonyl function with the use of chromium trioxide (CrO₃) and sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄).

Acyl is the meta director, and alkyl is ortho, para director. Thus, this reaction allows the introduction of substituents in each position (ortho, meta, para) of a molecule in both compounds (acyl and alkyl).