Lithium borohydride

Strong reducibility

Lithium borohydride is a strong reducing agent, superior to Sodium borohydride and potassium, and is often used in selective Reduction reactions in Organic synthesis, such as aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, nitriles, etc., and in the preparation of other borohydrides. In chemical reactions, lithium borohydride can provide electron pairs, reduce a variety of organic functional groups (such as carbonyl, nitrile, etc.), and convert them into more saturated structures such as corresponding alcohols and amines, showing its strong reducing ability.

The strong reductivity of lithium borohydride stems from the chemical structure, in which the boron atom forms a tetrahedron with four hydrogen atoms, with the lithium atom at the center. This structure gives it strong reductive properties that allow it to react with other substances to reduce its oxidation state. Compared with other compounds (such as sodium borohydride), lithium borohydride has a good solubility in inert solvents, especially in organic solvents. A higher solubility means that a higher effective concentration can be achieved in the reaction medium, thereby improving the speed and efficiency of the reduction reaction.