Summary of redox reactions

Many oxidation and reduction reactions have already been considered under other headings, e.g. addition or elimination reactions. What remains are those reactions that do not fit conveniently into the previous chapters. 

The reduction of a ketone by lithium aluminium hydride to give a secondary alcohol is a very important synthetic route. A common variation is the reduction of an ester to a primary alcohol. LiAlH4 is very reactive, and hence rather unselective. In order to improve its selectivity, various 

Instead of a complex metal hydride being the source of the hydride anion, the hydride anion may be donated from a carbon atom. In such a case, the reaction is called the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction, or MPV reduction. In contrast to the reduction by a complex metal hydride, the MPV reduction is reversible. The MPV reduction is performed by heating aluminium isoproproxide with an excess of propan-2-ol. The reaction may be forced to proceed in the reverse direction, i.e. to achieve the oxidation of an alcohol by using Al(OC(CH3)3)3 as a catalyst with an excess of 

Dehydrogenation of cyclohexane can be achieved by heating with a metal catalyst such as platinum. Dehydrogenation may also be performed by quinone, which is reduced to hydroquinone in the process. 

The addition of hydrogen peroxide to a carbon/carbon double bond gives the 1,2-diol. Such compounds may undergo further oxidation by treatment with periodic acid, HI04, or lead acetate, Pb 

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Table 19.1 Summary of Redox Reactions Interactive Table Explore redox reactions at qlencoe.com.

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