Why is LiAlH4 Stronger at Reducing than NaBH4? - Organic Chemistry

[@TET2005]

Nice... a concept explained with clarity is better than covering 10 concepts with no clear explanation. Btw, I am a chem teacher.

[@ivanbombana7282]

Do you teach in US or in UK? Thanks😁

[@JJ-Colo]

Simple answer: Al is bigger than B (including electronegativity), and thus the distance btw Al-H is longer than that of btw B-H. The similar concept is the acidity of H-I vs H-Cl.

[@edi9892]

Quite a niche topic for YT, but pretty nice for any Chemistry student, or Chemist (who tries to refresh his knowledge, like me).

[@OrgoMadeEasy]

Thanks! 😃 Cool stuff right?

[@Tag_Gw]

So when H+attacking Oxygen i mean if oxygen has already "bond" with li or na.​@@OrgoMadeEasy

[@Tag_Gw]

​@@OrgoMadeEasyso H+ is better counter ion rather than li and na? I mean i want reduce keton to an alcohol by adding h3o+ molecul

[@ginamarie7603]

I think your videos are great. You have a very relaxed way of presenting, you don't try to be fancy or perfect, keep it up.

[@vishwabandhupurkar4812]

You gave me the correct direction of thinking over this concept... thank you so much sir...

[@saiavinashsattiraju2743]

can you post videos on many important reagents of organic chemistry.you are simply superb thank you so much sir.

[@고바순]

this guy is a legend

[@johngalt1669]

U're the best teacher!!! I love your videos!

[@shotmeindaface]

You didn't say it but the reason Li+ and Na+ have different "counter ion" propreties is because of their relative size difference. Their ionic radius is different Li+< Na+ so being closer, Li+ binds more effectively... right ?

[@OrgoMadeEasy]

+shotmeindaface Yup! :] You got it! Smaller size so it's nucleus "seems more exposed" and so it can better attract the electrons of the oxygen.

[@wabnilu]

Yes

[@jeremysamuels2858]

Thanks, you explained this concept very clearly. I think that the video would be better without including the bloops though...

[@OrgoMadeEasy]

Jeremy Samuels Thanks Jeremy! True, I guess the bloops don't teach anything, but sometimes I like to include bloops to show that no ones perfect, and to make the video a little more relaxed? lol I try to not make them too long though.

[@brianng4933]

Great video explanation, but LiAlH4 does not reduce carboxylic acids by nucleophilic addition/attack. Because a carboxylic acid (unlike ketones or aldehydes) has an acidic proton, LAH will instead act as a base in excess, and then do another nucleophilic addition when it is made into the aldehyde further on in the mechanism. :)

[@OrgoMadeEasy]

You’re totes right! I realized this in 2016 after I made the vid 😅. Most schools though don’t require students to know the full mech/aren’t tested on it. So luckily this explanation is simpler/still sort of works!

[@marvel438]

Amazing explanation. Thank you.

[@OrgoMadeEasy]

No problem Ali! I'm glad it made sense to you! :D I was so excited when I learned this, and knew I had to share it with everyone.

[@seetecktee]

thanks

[@pragatiswain6914]

Enlightening!! Yes dude!!! Thanks a lot

[@shubhranshgupta6095]

thanks sir.... Ur video proves very beneficial for me .. I have totally mess up BTW nabh4 and lialh4 but ur concept was amazing and now I am totally clear abt the difference.. hope u could tell me and reply my ques --- Optically active 2- iodooctane when treated with radioactive NaI128 in dry acetone rate of loss of optical activity is twice the rate of isotopic exchange... plz explain it...????

[@MrMartinswan]

Do the actual video please how to make Lialh4

[@nidhibiswas4491]

Wowwww thanks for such a good explanation

[@mabe1272]

Thank you!! No point of ambiguity I know it's funny but your explanation and behaviour was also cute😎😁

[@abhishek11ist]

nicely explained bro..keep it up

[@lalitakanwar1549]

Tysm sir 💖

[@OrgoMadeEasy]

You’re very welcome Lalita! 😄

[@Mayflower018]

Li+ is smaller than Na+, making the + charge more concentrated/stronger to better stabilize O- and keep C+ more available for H- nucleophilic attack.

[@Tag_Gw]

So H+ is more stonger right? Smaller orbit so its make ketone to alcohol by adding nabh4 + h3o++

[@sarahaimen5602]

Ty

[@pokerater4463]

it was a good explanation

[@charishashyamsukha6501]

Really nice.

[@snehasarmah9999]

It was definitely helpful but I liked it even more bcz u're so cute !!

[@plasticpurush29]

I am from india 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳

[@pallavigupta292]

Amazing✌️✌️

[@gasperkosmac7672]

Great vid thx

[@wabnilu]

Good job :)

[@strange9080]

Frank let's go

[@OrgoMadeEasy]

Launch all Hydrides on my mark… Mark! 🚀

[@laraaziz7211]

@ 2:36 how did the hydrogen attach the carbon where it already has 4 bonds around it??????

[@ScilexGuitar]

It wont happen, this step is wrong

[@Mayflower018]

in C=O double bond. Oxygen is very electronegative and pulls all the electrons away from Carbon making Carbon partially +. In LiAlH4 or NaBH4, Hydrogen is more electronegative than Aluminum and Boron and both are more stable with 3 bonds not 4 (full at 6 e- not 8). So H can take 2 electrons from B or Al and become H-. C is electrophilic with PARTIAL + and H- is nucleophilic with FULL -, so the H- can attack C(+) and electrons in C=O double bond can move to the electronegative Oxygen. C still has 4 bonds, C=O becomes C-O. Watch his previous video or check out Khan Academy, to see this visually.

[@biblohudson9425]

Why not use LiAlH4 all the time?

[@OrgoMadeEasy]

Biblo Hudson sometimes you have a Ketone and a Carboxylic Acid on your molecule but you only want to reduce the Ketone down to a Alcohol but not the Carboxylic Acid. 😉

[@gigiadd2816]

LiBH4 ?

[@gskorangakoranga4810]

waww