Organic Chemistry Portal

Reducing Agents

Alcohol dehydrogenase

Bis(neopentylglycolato)diboron

Bis(pinacolato)diboron

9-Borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane

Borane ammonia complex

Borane trimethylamine complex

Calcium hypophosphite

Copper (low valent)

Chromium (low valent)

1,4-Cyclohexadiene

Diethoxymethylsilane

Diethyl 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-pyridinedicarboxylate

Diisobutylaluminium hydride

Diisopropylaminoborane

Dimethoxymethylsilane

4-Dimethylaminopyridine borane

1,3-Dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene borane

Dimethylsulfide borane

Hypophosphorous acid

Indium (low valent)

Lithium aluminum hydride

Lithium tetrahydridoaluminate

Lithium tri-tert-butoxyaluminum hydride

Lithium triethylborohydride

3-Mercaptopropionic acid

Methylhydrazine

2-Methylpyridine borane

Molybdenum hexacarbonyl

Neodymium (low valent)

Nickel borohydride

Niobium (low valent)

2-Nitrobenzenesulfonylhydrazide

Phosphorous acid

α-Picoline-borane

Polymethylhydrosiloxane

Potassium borohydride

Potassium iodide

Potassium tetrahydroborate

Samarium (low valent)

Schwartz's Reagent

Sodium aminodiboranate

Sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)aluminumhydride

Sodium bisulfite

Sodium borohydride

Sodium cyanoborohydride

Sodium dithionite

Sodium hydrogensulfite

Sodium hydrosulfite

Sodium hydroxymethanesulfinate

Sodium hypophosphite

Sodium tetrahydroborate

Sodium triacetoxyborohydride

Tetrahydroxydiboron

Tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene

Tetrabutylammonium borohydride

Tetramethyldisiloxane

Thioacetic acid

Titanium (low valent)

p-Toluenesulfonyl hydrazide

Tributylstannane

Tributyltin hydride

Tributylphosphine

Trichlorosilane

Triethoxysilane

Triethylphosphine

Trimethylamine borane

1,3,5-Trimethyl-1,3,5-triazinane

Trimethylphoshpine

Trimethylphosphite

Triphenylphosphine

Triphenylphosphite

Triphenylsilane

Tris(dimethylamino)phosphine

Tris(trimethylsilyl)silane

Zirconocene chloride hydride

Reducing Agents - A Short Introduction

A reducing agent, also known as a reductant, is a substance that has the ability to donate electrons to another substance. In other words, it is a substance that can cause another substance to gain electrons and become reduced. Reducing agents are often involved in redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions, which are chemical reactions in which electrons are transferred from one substance to another. In a redox reaction, the reducing agent is oxidized as it donates electrons to the other substance, which is thereby reduced. Some common examples of reducing agents include metals such as zinc and iron, as well as certain chemicals like sodium borohydride and hydrogen gas. These substances are often used in industrial processes such as the production of metals and the reduction of organic compounds. Reducing agents are also important in biological systems, where they play a key role in metabolism and energy production. For example, the electron transport chain in cells relies on the transfer of electrons from reducing agents such as NADH to oxidizing agents such as oxygen.