Monday, February 20, 2017

organic chemistry - Why does LiAlH4 reduce the double bond of cinnamaldehyde, whereas NaBH4 does not?


I read an answer here about why $\ce{LiAlH_4}$ does not reduce conjugated double bonds, and that $\ce{NaBH_4}$ does. But in the case of cinnamaldehyde, $\ce{LiAlH_4}$ reduces the conjugated double bond and $\ce{NaBH_4}$ does not. Why is it so?


Citation for $\ce{LiAlH_4}$: Quora


Citation for $\ce{NaBH_4}$:


NaBH4 with cinnamaldehyde


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periodic trends - Comparing radii in lithium, beryllium, magnesium, aluminium and sodium ions

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