| Reagent |
Preferred Solvents |
Functions Reduced |
Reaction Work-up |
Sodium Borohydride
NaBH4 |
ethanol; aqueous ethanol
15% NaOH; diglyme
avoid strong acids |
aldehydes to 1º-alcohols
ketones to 2º-alcohols
1,2-reduction of enones is favored by CeCl3
inert to most other functions |
1) simple neutralization
2) extraction of product |
Lithium Aluminum Hydride (LAH)
LiAlH4 |
ether; THF
avoid alcohols and amines
avoid halogenated compounds
avoid strong acids |
aldehydes to 1º-alcohols
ketones to 2º-alcohols
carboxylic acids to 1º-alcohols
esters to alcohols
epoxides to alcohols
nitriles & amides to amines
halides & tosylates to alkanes
most functions react |
1) careful addition of water
2) dissolve aluminum salts
3) extraction of product |
Lithium tri t-Butoxyaluminohydride
LiAlH(Ot-C4H9)3 |
ether; THF
avoid alcohols and amines
avoid halogenated compounds
avoid strong acids |
fast:
acid chlorides to aldehydes
(at -78 ºC)
3º-amides to aldehydes (at -78 ºC)
nitriles to aldehydes (at -78 ºC)
slower:
aldehydes to 1º-alcohols
ketones to 2º-alcohols |
1) careful addition of water
2) dissolve aluminum salts
3) extraction of product |
Diisobutylaluminum Hydride
AlH[CH2CH(CH3)2]2 |
THF; toluene
avoid alcohols and amines
avoid halogenated compounds
avoid strong acids |
fast:
acid chlorides to aldehydes
(at -78 ºC)
3º-amides to aldehydes (at -78 ºC)
nitriles to aldehydes (at -78 ºC)
slower:
aldehydes to 1º-alcohols
ketones to 2º-alcohols |
1) careful addition of water
2) dissolve aluminum salts
3) extraction of product |
Diborane
B2H6 = 2 BH3 |
ether; THF
sulfide complex in CH2Cl2
complexes with amines
avoid alkenes & alkynes |
carboxylic acids to 1º-alcohols
aldehydes to 1º-alcohols
ketones to 2º-alcohols
nitriles to amines
esters & epoxides slowly reduced |
1) dilute acid or H2O2
2) extraction of product |
|
Hydrogen & Catalyst
H2 & Pt, or Pd, or Ru, or Ni
Modified (poisoned) Catalyst
|
alcohols, ethers, hydrocarbons
or carboxylic acids |
alkenes & alkynes to alkanes (fast)
nitro groups to amines (fast)
imines to amines (fast)
aldehydes & ketones to alcohols (slow)
nitriles to amines (slow)
may remove benzylic groups
alkynes to alkenes
acyl chlorides to aldehydes
|
filter to remove catalyst |
|
Reactive Metals
Na, or Li, or K
Mg or Al or Zn or Fe
|
liq. ammonia & ether co-solvents
or alcohols or amines
water, alcohols, acetic acid
or aqueous mineral acid
|
ketones to 2º-alcohols
alkynes to alkenes
conjugated π-systems
(e.g. aromatic rings, dienes & enones)
cleaves C-X and benzylic groups
cleaves activated substituents
nitro groups to amines
C=O (aldehyde/ketone) to CH2
|
1) quench with NH4Cl
2) extract product
extract product from salts
|