Write a comprehensive note reaction and mechanisms of reduction of aldehyde and ketones
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Answer:
Sodium tetrahydridoborate (previously known as sodium borohydride) has the formula NaBH4, and contains the BH4- ion. That ion acts as the reducing agent.
There are several quite different ways of carrying out this reaction. Two possible variants (there are several others!) are:
The reaction is carried out in solution in water to which some sodium hydroxide has been added to make it alkaline. The reaction produces an intermediate which is converted into the final product by addition of a dilute acid like sulphuric acid.
The reaction is carried out in solution in an alcohol like methanol, ethanol or propan-2-ol. This produces an intermediate which can be converted into the final product by boiling it with water.
In each case, reduction essentially involves the addition of a hydrogen atom to each end of the carbon-oxygen double bond to form an alcohol. Reduction of aldehydes and ketones lead to two different sorts of alcohol.