Birch Reduction

A. J. Birch, J. Chem. Soc. 1944, 430; 1945, 809; 1946, 593; 1947, 102, 1642, 1949, 2531.

Reduction of aromatic rings by means of alkali metals in liquid ammonia to give mainly unconjugated dihydro derivatives:

Reviews: A. J. Birch, H. Smith, Quart. Rev. (London) 12, 17 (1958); D. Caine, Org. React. 23, 1-258 (1976); P. W. Rabideau, Z. Marcinow, ibid. 42, 1-334 (1992); J. M. Hook, L. N. Mander, Nat. Prod. Rep. 3, 35-85 (1986); L. N. Mander, Comp. Org. Syn. 8, 489-521 (1991). Cf. Benkeser Reduction.