Lithium Aluminum Hydride (LiAlH4)

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 Lithium Aluminum Hydride (LiAlH4) is a reducing agent commonly used in organic chemistry for the reduction of various functional groups. The following are some of the most common uses of LiAlH4:

  1. Reduction of carbonyl groups (aldehydes and ketones) to primary and secondary alcohols: LiAlH4 reacts with aldehydes and ketones to produce primary and secondary alcohols, respectively. The reaction can be represented as: RC(O)R' + LiAlH4 → RCH2OH + LiAl(OH)4

  2. Reduction of carboxylic acids to alcohols: Carboxylic acids can be reduced to primary alcohols with LiAlH4. The reaction can be represented as: RC(O)OH + LiAlH4 → RCH2OH + LiAl(OH)4

  3. Reduction of esters to alcohols: Esters can be reduced to primary alcohols with LiAlH4. The reaction can be represented as: RC(O)OR' + LiAlH4 → RCH2OH + LiAl(OOR')4

  4. Reduction of amides to amines: Amides can be reduced to primary amines with LiAlH4. The reaction can be represented as: RC(O)NR2 + LiAlH4 → RCH2NR2 + LiAl(ONR2)4

  5. Reduction of nitriles to primary amides: Nitriles can be reduced to primary amides with LiAlH4. The reaction can be represented as: RC(N)R' + LiAlH4 → RC(O)NR' + LiAl(ONR')4

It is important to note that LiAlH4 is a very reactive reducing agent and care must be taken when using it in the laboratory. In addition, the reduced products must be purified, as LiAlH4 may also reduce other functional groups that are present in the reaction mixture.

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