https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/alhg.osmium.html (https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/alhg.osmium.html)
https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/alhg.osmium.html (https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/alhg.osmium.html)
+ a whole lot more in the search engine
I'm kind of 'on the fence' as to whether or not this should be in the newbee forum, but today is a great day.....
The simplest explanation of what is going on, and I assume you are talking about the nitro Al/Hg, is that the nitromethane is reduced to a primary amine (methylamine) by the amalgamated aluminum which condenses with the ketone to form an imine. This imine is further reduced to the secondary amine, also by the Al/Hg. Give you three guesses what the secondary amine is ;D
The best (most commonly preferred) solvents to use are toluene or xylene, and an NaOH wash, a brine (saturated salt solution) wash, and a water wash are customary. Some people like to dry the solvent, prior to making the hydrochloride salt, with baked epsoms; but if your yeilds are good you probably won't need to bother.
EDIT: However, my timing seems to be horrible.
Pr(+)tium