Emde degradation

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Emde degradation
Named afterHermann Emde
Reaction typeDegradation reaction
Identifiers
RSC ontology ID RXNO:0000147

The Emde degradation (also called Emde-reaction or Emde-reduction) is a method for the reduction of a quaternary ammonium cation to a tertiary amine with sodium amalgam: [1] [2] [3]

Emde-degradation Emderxn.png
Emde-degradation

This organic reaction was first described in 1909 by the German chemist Hermann Emde and was for a long time of great importance in structure elucidation of many alkaloids, for example that of ephedrine.

Alternative reducing agents exist for this reaction; for instance, lithium aluminium hydride.

See also

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References

  1. Emde, Hermann (1909). "Spaltung quartärer Ammoniumsalze durch nascierenden Wasserstoff". Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 42 (2): 2590–2594. doi:10.1002/cber.190904202169.
  2. Pötsch, W. (1989). Lexikon bedeutender Chemiker. VEB Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig. ISBN   3817110553.
  3. Smith, M. B.; March, J. (2001). March's Advanced Organic Chemistry. Wiley. ISBN   0-471-58589-0.