Final answer:
The mechanism for the reaction likely involves nucleophilic addition to the ketone's carbonyl group, forming an intermediate which then undergoes deprotonation to form a double bond, implying an elimination reaction. No C-C bond breaking is necessary in the ketone reduction steps and alcohols can be oxidized into ketones.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mechanism involved in the transformation described starts with the nucleophilic addition of a hydride to the electrophilic carbon of a ketone. This step is generally facilitated by a strong nucleophile or a reducing agent. After the initial addition of the hydride ion, a tetrahedral intermediate is formed, which may then undergo various pathways depending on the conditions and the presence of other substituents. The deprotonation of a hydroxyl group attached to the carbon with the leaving group (OTs) indicates that an elimination reaction may be taking place to form a double bond.
For instance, in the reduction of ketones to secondary alcohols, the carbonyl group is targeted by the nucleophile, which can be a hydride donor. No C-C bond breaking is required in this typical reduction process. However, if we are speaking of an elimination reaction, such as the E2 mechanism, a base would abstract a proton from a carbon adjacent to the one bearing the electronegative leaving group, resulting in a double bond formation
Oxidation and reductions are essential transformations in organic chemistry. When dealing with secondary alcohols, an oxidation reaction would typically convert the alcohol into a ketone, as the secondary alcohol has a hydrogen atom attached to the carbonyl group. However, further oxidation of the ketone is not feasible under mild conditions because ketones lack the necessary hydrogen atom at the carbonyl position.