Reduction with Sodium Borohydride Flashcards
1
Q
sodium borohydride reduces which functional groups?
A
aldehydes and ketones
2
Q
why does NaBH4 only reduce aldehydes and ketones?
A
it is a weak reducing agent
3
Q
why is LiAlH4 not used in this lab?
A
it is a strong reducing agent and would reduce both carbonyls
4
Q
why is the product of this reaction a racemic mixture?
A
the substrate is planar, so the nucleophile has an equal chance of adding on either face
5
Q
what are the 5 sources of error for this lab?
A
- transfer loss
- loss to aqueous phase
- potentially volatile, lost to air
- incomplete reaction due to equilibrium
- drying agent
