Reduction with zinc in neutral or acidic medium or catalytic hydrogenation of phenyl(trichloromethy1)-carbinol (1) gives 0,B-dichlorostyrene (2), a-chlorostyrene (3), and phenyl(dichloromethy1)carbinol (4). b,?-Di~hlorostyrene is the sole product of reduction of phenyl(trichloromethyl)carbinyl methyl ether with zinc and acetic acid. Lithium in liquid ammonia reduces the trichloromethyl group of 1 to give a-phenethyl alcohol (5) in low yield; acetophenone and b-phenethyl alcohol have been identified as byproducts of this reaction.Clemmensen reduction of l,l,l-trichloro-2-hydroxy-6-methyl-4-heptanone (6) does not yield the expected l,l,l-trichloro-6-methyl-2-heptanol; instead, 1,l-dichloro-6-methyl-1-hepten-4-one (7) and 1,l-dichloro-6-methyl-1-heptene (8) are formed as the main reaction products. Long reflux time, efficient stirring, and the employment of a large excess of amalgamated zinc and concentrated hydrochloric acid favor the formation of 8 while 7 is obtained in high yield when sulfuric acid is used instead of hydrochloric acid.A mechanism for the reduction of trichloromethylcarbinols (1 and 6 ) with zinc has been proposed, 7 being postulated as an intermediate in the formation of 8.