What happens when Cinnamaldehyde is treated with LiAlH4?

E.g. Cinnamaldehyde is reduced to Hydrocinnamyl alcohol when reduced with excess of LiAlH4 (roughly more than 2 equivalents) by normal addition method. In this method, a solution of cinnamaldehyde is added to the solution of lithium aluminium hydride. Both the double bond and carbonyl group are reduced.

Can NaBH4 reduce double bonds?

LiAlH4 reduces double bond only when the double bond is Beta-arly , NaBH4 does not reduce double bond. if you want to you can use H2/Ni to reduce a double bond.

Why is NaBH4 preferred over LiAlH4 for the reduction of vanillin?

But LiAlH4 is a very strong reducing agent than NaBH4 because the Al-H bond in the LiAlH4 is weaker than the B-H bond in NaBH4. This makes the Al-H bond less stable. The reason for this is the low electronegativity of Aluminum compared to Boron. As a result, LiAlH4 is a better hydride donor.

Does LiAlH4 reduce double bond in cinnamic acid?

LiAlH4 reduces double bond in case of only when it is conjugation with phenyl ring but “cinnamic acid” is an excepection because it has both carbonyl carbon as well as phenyl ring in its conjugation.

Will LiAlH4 reduce double bond?

LiAlH4 is a strong, unselective reducing agent for polar double bonds, most easily thought of as a source of H-. It will reduce aldehydes, ketones, esters, carboxylic acid chlorides, carboxylic acids and even carboxylate salts to alcohols.

Why is NaBH4 used with ethanol?

NaBH4 reacts with water and alcohols, with evolution of hydrogen gas and formation of the corresponding borate, the reaction being especially fast at low pH. Nevertheless, an alcohol, often methanol or ethanol, is generally the solvent of choice for sodium borohydride reductions of ketones and aldehydes.

Why NaBH4 Cannot reduce carboxylic acids?

Reduction of Carboxylic Acids The carbonyl carbon of a carboxylic acid is even more electrophilic than the carbonyl carbon in an aldehyde or ketone. However, there is also an acid proton from the carboxylic acid that can react with hydride reagents. For this reason, sodium borohydride does not reduce a carboxylic acid.