Which reagent is commonly used to reduce aldehydes to primary alcohols?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which reagent is commonly used to reduce aldehydes to primary alcohols?
LiAlH4
KMnO4
NaBH4
H2SO4
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which reagent is commonly used to reduce aldehydes to primary alcohols?
Correct Answer: Sodium borohydride (NaBH4)
Step 1: Understand that aldehydes are a type of organic compound that contain a carbonyl group (C=O) at the end of a carbon chain.
Step 2: Know that to convert an aldehyde into a primary alcohol, you need a reducing agent.
Step 3: Identify that sodium borohydride (NaBH4) is a common reducing agent used in organic chemistry.
Step 4: Recognize that when sodium borohydride is added to an aldehyde, it donates hydrogen atoms to the carbonyl carbon, converting it into a primary alcohol.