The Reduction of 3′,6′-dihydroxy-1,2-benzocycloheptene-3,7-dione

Abstract

Hydrogenation of the title compound and its diacetate over various catalysts has been studied and the products identified. Clemmensen reduction gave several substances but none of these corresponded to a novel compound, C₁₁H₁₂O₄, reported in the literature from this reaction and formulated as a dihydroxydiketone: this was obtained by zinc dust reduction of the title compound, and its structure was confirmed by n.m.r. spectroscopy and by chemical studies.