Reaction of Lithium Cyanoaluminum Hydride with Selected Organic Compounds Containing Representative Functional Groups. Comparison of Reducing Characteristics between Lithium and Sodium Cyanoaluminum Hydrides

Lithium cyanoaluminum hydride (LCAH) was prepared by the metal cation exchange reaction of sodium cyanoaluminum hydride with lithium chloride in tetrahydrofuran. The reducing characteristics of LCAH were explored systematically by the reaction with selected organic compounds containing representative functional groups under the standardized conditions (tetrahydrofuran, 0 ${^{\circ}C}$). The reducing ability of LCAH was also compared with of the sodium derivative, sodium cyanoaluminum hydride (SCAH). Generally, the reducing behavior of LCAH resembles that of SCAH closely, but the reactivity of LCAH toward representative organic functional groups appeared to be stronger than that of SCAH. Thus, the regent reduces carbonyl compounds, epoxides, amides, nitriles, disulfides, carboxylic acids and their acyl derivatives to the corresponding alcohols or amines, at a relatively faster rate than that of SCAH. The cyano substitution, a strong election-withdrawing group, diminishes the reducing power of the parent metal aluminum hydrides and hence effects the alteration of their reducing characteristics.