Lithium aluminium hydride

inorganic compound with the chemical formula LiAlH4

Lithium aluminum hydride is an inorganic compound. Its chemical formula is LiAlH4. It is commonly abbreviated as LAH. It is a grey solid. It was discovered by Finholt, Bond and Schlesinger in 1947.[1]

Lithium aluminium hydride

Properties

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Lithium aluminium hydride is a colorless solid, but commercial samples are usually gray because of contamination.[2] It can be purified by recrystallization from diethyl ether.[2] It reacts violently with water.[2] Some commercial samples contain mineral oil to stop reactions with moisture in the atmosphere.[2]

Lithium aluminum hydride is used in organic chemistry as a reducing agent.[2] Lithium aluminum hydride is most commonly used for the reduction of esters and carboxylic acids to primary alcohols.[3]

References

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  1. Finholt, A. E.; Bond, A. C.; Schlesinger, H. I. (1947). "Lithium Aluminum Hydride, Aluminum Hydride and Lithium Gallium Hydride, and Some of their Applications in Organic and Inorganic Chemistry 1". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 69 (5): 1199–1203. doi:10.1021/ja01197a061. ISSN 0002-7863.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Encyclopaedia of science & technology (2nd ed.). Claremont: New Africa Education. 2004. ISBN 1-86928-384-8. OCLC 238823160.
  3. "Preparation of Enantiomerically Pure α-N,N-Dibenzylamino Aldehydes: S-2-(N,N-Dibenzylamino)-3-Phenylpropanal". www.orgsyn.org. Retrieved 2020-09-19.