CHED 221 |
| Sodium borohydride is a ubiquitous reducing agent in introductory organic chemistry laboratory, offering significant safety advantages over lithium aluminum hydride. The ability of ammonia borane to reduce carbonyl groups was reported several years ago but its application has been limited, perhaps because of its high cost relative to sodium borohydride. With the current interest in ammonia borane as a source of hydrogen for fuel cells, its cost is likely to come down. We have begun to investigate ammonia borane as an alternative to sodium borohydride in the introductory organic chemistry laboratory. Reduction of aldehydes and ketones, systems with the potential for conjugate addition, and selective reduction of aldehydes and ketones in the presence of esters are among the reactions that we have studied. Our results and the procedures that we have developed will be reported along with our assessment of the advantages that ammonia borane affords. |
|
Undergraduate Research Poster Session
2:30 PM-4:30 PM, Monday, August 20, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |