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Monday, February 10, 2020

Why NaBH4 is milder reducing agent than LiAlH4?.

LiAlH4 and NaBH4 both are reducing agent and use for reduction of polar multiple bond (>C=O ,-CN ). But LiAlH4 is stronger than NaBH4 because NaBH4 breaks into Na+ cation and BH4 -  anion.  Now, BH4 - ion breaks into BH3 stable ground state and protonates H - ion ie. Hydride ion and this hydride ion acts as a reducing agent.  In BH4 - ion Boron is more electronegative atom as compared to aluminum in AIH4 - ion. Thus, reducing power of hydride ion gets lowered as boron withdraws more electrons towards itself as compared to Aluminlum, so the hydrides of aluminum are more reducing in nature than hydrides of baron.

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