FormerBeagle - 23-6-2019 at 15:28
I have seen reference to adding small amounts of 100% sulfuric acid to LiAlH4 to make a more active reducing agent. My understanding is that this
produces aluminum hydride. In my own work, I have used the addition of AlCl3 to LAH for more stubborn functional groups. Is there some advantage to
the sulfuric acid method?
draculic acid69 - 24-6-2019 at 00:25
What does adding alcl3 to LAH do?
FormerBeagle - 24-6-2019 at 14:29
It increases the reducing activity quite a bit by converting it to aluminum hydride. For instance, for N-monoalkyl tryptamines, LAH by itself only
sluggishly reduced the amides. The addition of AlCl3 dramatically decreased reaction times.
Keras - 24-6-2019 at 22:34
You can also boost the reducing power of sodium borohydride using various mineral additives. IMO, sodium borohydride is much cheaper and easier to
store and handle than lithium-aluminium hydride.