Lithium borohydride is an inorganic compound with molecular formula LiBH4. It is also known as Lithium hydroborate and Lithium tetrahydroborate. Lithium borohydride is a stronger reducing agent and is highly soluble in ethers. Furthermore, it is prepared by using metathesis reaction.
Applications
- Selective reduction of esters, carboxylic acids, amides, epoxides, ketones and aldehydes in the presence of other functional groups such as nitriles, nitro groups, alkenes and halides. The addition of a stoichiometric amount of methanol increases significantly the reducing power without affecting the selectivity.