Partial reduction of benzenoid aromatic rings by dissolving metals and by other methods

The partial-reduction of aromatic compounds provides an important link between aromatic compounds and alicyclic compounds. This chapter covers advances in the field since the publication of the first edition of Comprehensive Organic Synthesis in 1991. The authors describe various aspects of the mechanism and reaction conditions used in the Birch reduction. Detailed coverage of the Birch reduction is organized by the type of aromatic compound being reduced, with many approaches being exemplified using target synthesis. Although the Birch reduction is still the most common method for the partial reduction of aromatic compounds, a number of variations on the Birch reduction are becoming more widely used. These methods are also described, along with a number of other methods using photochemistry, electrochemistry, transition metals, and enzymes