19.6 Reduction of Aldehydes and Ketones | Organic Chemistry

Chad's Prep
2 Apr 202111:21
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThis video lesson delves into the reduction of aldehydes and ketones, a crucial topic in organic chemistry. It explains the use of hydride reducing agents such as sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4 or LAH) to convert these compounds into primary and secondary alcohols. The mechanism of reduction is detailed, highlighting the simultaneous transfer of a hydride ion to the carbonyl group, leading to the formation of alkoxides that are subsequently protonated. The video also touches on the differences in reactivity between the two reducing agents, with lithium aluminum hydride being more reactive and capable of reducing a wider range of compounds, including carboxylic acids and their derivatives. Additionally, a special reduction method using thioacetals and Raney nickel is introduced, which results in the complete deoxygenation of ketones and aldehydes, converting them into alkanes. This reduction is akin to the Clemmensen and Wolff-Kishner reductions. The lesson is part of an organic chemistry series released weekly and is complemented by a study guide and practice problems available on the instructor's website.

Takeaways
  • πŸ§ͺ The lesson focuses on the reduction of aldehydes and ketones to primary and secondary alcohols using hydride reducing agents such as sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4).
  • ⚠️ Hydrate ions are too reactive and can cause undesirable side reactions, so hydride reagents are used instead to achieve the desired reduction.
  • πŸ” The reduction mechanism involves a concerted process where a hydride ion breaks off and attacks the carbonyl group simultaneously.
  • 🌟 Sodium borohydride is less reactive than lithium aluminum hydride, which allows it to be used in protic solvents like ethanol without issue.
  • 🌌 Lithium aluminum hydride is so reactive that it requires anhydrous, non-protic conditions and an additional acid workup step to avoid unwanted reactions.
  • ➑️ The reduction of aldehydes with hydride reagents yields primary alcohols, while ketones yield secondary alcohols.
  • πŸ“š Lithium aluminum hydride can reduce a wider range of compounds, including carboxylic acids, esters, and amides, in addition to aldehydes and ketones.
  • 🚫 Sodium borohydride is selective and will not reduce compounds like esters, making it the preferred choice when specificity is needed.
  • πŸ”¬ The use of thioacetals and rainy nickel catalysts allows for the complete deoxygenation of ketones and aldehydes, converting them into alkanes.
  • πŸ“ˆ The lesson is part of an organic chemistry playlist released weekly throughout the school year, with notifications available for new content.
  • πŸ“’ For further study, a study guide and practice problems on aldehydes and ketones are available through a premium course at chadsprep.com.
  • πŸ“’ The instructor encourages students to like and share the lesson to help others find it, and mentions a free trial for the premium course.
Q & A
  • What is the main topic of the lesson?

    -The main topic of the lesson is the reduction of aldehydes and ketones.

  • Which hydride reducing agents are discussed in the lesson?

    -The hydride reducing agents discussed in the lesson are sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4).

  • What happens when a hydride ion reacts with a ketone?

    -When a hydride ion reacts with a ketone, it undergoes nucleophilic addition, resulting in the formation of a secondary alcohol.

  • Why is a free hydride ion not typically used in reduction reactions?

    -A free hydride ion is not typically used because it is too reactive and can cause undesirable side reactions, leading to poor yields of the desired product.

  • How do hydride reduction reagents like sodium borohydride and lithium aluminum hydride work?

    -Hyride reduction reagents work by providing a hydride ion in a controlled manner, similar to how a Grignard reagent provides a carbanion. They are less reactive than a free hydride ion and are used to selectively reduce ketones and aldehydes.

  • What is the difference in reactivity between lithium aluminum hydride and sodium borohydride?

    -Lithium aluminum hydride is more reactive than sodium borohydride due to the greater difference in electronegativity between lithium and aluminum, which results in a more ionic character and a stronger nucleophilic character.

  • What is the role of a proton source in the reduction of ketones and aldehydes using hydride reagents?

    -The proton source is necessary to protonate the alkoxide intermediate formed during the reduction, leading to the final alcohol product.

  • How does the use of a protic solvent like ethanol affect the reduction reaction with sodium borohydride?

    -In the presence of a protic solvent like ethanol, the alkoxide intermediate can be protonated by the solvent itself, eliminating the need for a separate acid workup step.

  • What are thioacetals and how are they used in reduction reactions?

    -Thioacetals are compounds analogous to acetals but with sulfur atoms instead of oxygen. They are used in special reduction reactions to achieve complete deoxygenation of ketones and aldehydes, converting them into alkanes.

  • What is the purpose of using a special metal catalyst like Raney nickel in the reduction of thioacetals?

    -Raney nickel is used as a catalyst to facilitate the reduction of thioacetals to alkanes, replacing the bonds to sulfur with bonds to hydrogen.

  • What is the difference between the reduction of ketones and aldehydes using sodium borohydride and lithium aluminum hydride when it comes to more reactive carboxylic acid derivatives?

    -Sodium borohydride can reduce ketones and aldehydes but not the more reactive carboxylic acid derivatives like acid halides and anhydrides. Lithium aluminum hydride, on the other hand, can reduce these more reactive derivatives as well as carboxylic acids, esters, and amides.

Outlines
00:00
πŸ§ͺ Reduction of Aldehydes and Ketones with Hydride Reagents

This paragraph introduces the topic of reducing aldehydes and ketones using hydride reducing agents such as sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4). It explains that these agents are used to convert ketones and aldehydes into primary and secondary alcohols. The paragraph also mentions a special reduction method involving thioacetals and rainy nickels, which leads to the complete deoxygenation of ketones and aldehydes. The video is part of an organic chemistry series released weekly, and viewers are encouraged to subscribe for updates. The mechanism of the reduction process is discussed, highlighting that a naked hydride ion is not used due to its high reactivity, which can lead to undesirable side reactions. Instead, hydride reagents are used, which are less reactive and thus provide better yields of the desired product.

05:01
πŸ” Mechanism and Reactivity of Hydride Reduction Reagents

The second paragraph delves into the reactivity and mechanism of the hydride reduction reagents, sodium borohydride and lithium aluminum hydride. It explains that lithium aluminum hydride is more reactive due to its ability to form a more ionic bond, making it a stronger nucleophile. The paragraph discusses the need for an acid workup step when using lithium aluminum hydride to prevent it from acting as a base and forming hydrogen gas. In contrast, sodium borohydride can be used in protic solvents like ethanol, which can serve as the proton source, eliminating the need for a separate acid workup. The paragraph also touches on the broader reactivity of lithium aluminum hydride, which can reduce a wider range of compounds, including carboxylic acids and their derivatives, whereas sodium borohydride is more selective for ketones and aldehydes.

10:02
🌟 Special Reduction via Thioacetals and Rainy Nickel

The final paragraph discusses a specialized reduction method using thioacetals, which are compounds analogous to acetals but with sulfur atoms instead of oxygen. The reduction process involves forming a thioacetal with three carbons between the sulfur atoms and then using a metal catalyst, specifically 'rainy nickel,' to reduce the thioacetal to an alkane. This method achieves complete deoxygenation, similar to the Clemmensen and Wolff-Kishner reductions, converting aldehydes and ketones into alkyl groups. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for viewers to like, share, and subscribe for more lessons, and mentions a premium course for further study and practice problems on aldehydes and ketones.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘Hydride Reducing Agents
Hydride reducing agents are compounds that donate a hydride ion (H-) to another compound, facilitating a reduction reaction. In the context of the video, sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) are examples of such agents. They are used to reduce ketones and aldehydes to primary and secondary alcohols, which is the main theme of the video.
πŸ’‘Nucleophilic Addition
Nucleophilic addition is a chemical reaction where a nucleophile, a species with a free pair of electrons, donates these electrons to an electrophile, forming a new bond. In the video, the hydride ion acts as a nucleophile, adding across the carbonyl group of aldehydes and ketones, leading to the formation of alcohols.
πŸ’‘Alkoxide Ion
An alkoxide ion is a negatively charged species that contains an oxygen atom bonded to an alkyl group. In the script, it is formed as an intermediate during the reduction of ketones and aldehydes by hydride reducing agents. The alkoxide ion is then protonated to yield the final alcohol product.
πŸ’‘Thioacetals
Thioacetals are organic compounds that are analogous to acetals but contain sulfur atoms instead of oxygen atoms. They are mentioned in the video as part of a special reduction process that leads to the complete deoxygenation of ketones and aldehydes, converting them into alkanes, similar to the Clemmensen and Wolff-Kishner reductions.
πŸ’‘Reductive Amination
Although not explicitly mentioned in the transcript, reductive amination is a related concept where a ketone or aldehyde reacts with an amine in the presence of a reducing agent to form an amine. It is a relevant concept in the broader context of reduction reactions in organic chemistry.
πŸ’‘Lithium Aluminum Hydride
Lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) is a strong reducing agent used in organic chemistry. It is more reactive than sodium borohydride and can reduce a wider range of functional groups, including carboxylic acids, esters, and amides, in addition to ketones and aldehydes. In the video, it is discussed in the context of its ability to perform complete deoxygenation.
πŸ’‘Sodium Borohydride
Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) is a milder reducing agent compared to lithium aluminum hydride. It is used to selectively reduce ketones and aldehydes to their corresponding alcohols without affecting other functional groups like esters or carboxylic acids. The video explains that it can be used in protic solvents like ethanol, which also serve as the proton source.
πŸ’‘Protic Solvent
A protic solvent is a solvent that can donate a proton (H+). In the context of the video, ethanol is mentioned as a protic solvent that can be used with sodium borohydride to protonate the alkoxide ion formed during the reduction, yielding the final alcohol product.
πŸ’‘Octet Rule
The octet rule states that atoms are stable when they have eight electrons in their valence shell. The video discusses how boron and aluminum in the reducing agents have filled octets, and how the hydride ion can break off without violating this rule, which is crucial for the reduction mechanism.
πŸ’‘Concerted Mechanism
A concerted mechanism in chemistry refers to a reaction that occurs in a single step without the formation of intermediates. The video explains that the reduction of ketones and aldehydes by hydride reducing agents occurs through a concerted mechanism, where the hydride ion transfers to the carbonyl carbon simultaneously as the electrons are reorganized.
πŸ’‘Clemmensen Reduction
The Clemmensen reduction is a chemical reaction that reduces aldehydes and ketones to alkanes using a zinc amalgam and hydrochloric acid. Although not the main focus of the video, it is mentioned as a comparison to the thioacetal reduction method, which also results in complete deoxygenation of the carbonyl compound.
Highlights

The lesson focuses on the reduction of aldehydes and ketones to primary and secondary alcohols using hydride reducing agents.

Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4) are the key reducing agents discussed for their role in converting ketones and aldehydes.

Hyride ion (H-) is too reactive and can cause undesirable side reactions, so hydride reagents are used instead.

Lithium aluminum hydride is more reactive than sodium borohydride and requires an acid workup step.

Sodium borohydride can be used in protic solvents like ethanol, which can serve as a proton source.

Both reducing agents can reduce aldehydes to primary alcohols and ketones to secondary alcohols.

Lithium aluminum hydride can also reduce a wider range of compounds, including carboxylic acids and their derivatives.

The reduction process involves a concerted mechanism where the hydride ion breaks off and attacks the ketone simultaneously.

Thioacetals, analogous to acetals with sulfur atoms instead of oxygen, are used for special reductions leading to complete deoxygenation of ketones and aldehydes.

Rainy nickel is a special metal catalyst used in the reduction of thioacetals to alkanes.

The reduction via thioacetals is similar to Clemency reduction and Wolf-Kishner reduction in achieving complete deoxygenation.

The lesson is part of an organic chemistry playlist released weekly throughout the school year.

Subscribing to the channel and clicking the bell notification ensures viewers are notified of new lesson posts.

The hydride reagents act as equivalents to a hydride ion, similar to how a Grignard reagent acts as an equivalent to a carbanion.

The difference in electronegativity between boron and hydrogen in sodium borohydride makes it less reactive than lithium aluminum hydride.

Lithium aluminum hydride cannot be mixed with protic substances due to its high reactivity, unlike sodium borohydride.

An acid workup step is necessary when using lithium aluminum hydride, similar to the procedure with Grignard reactions.

The lesson provides a comprehensive understanding of the reduction mechanisms and the practical considerations when choosing between sodium borohydride and lithium aluminum hydride.

Transcripts
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