Question

Convert butan-2-one to butan-2-ol

Answer 1

Hint: The conversion between any two compounds is done using proper reagents. In organic chemistry it is very important to choose the accurate Reagent for the conversion of one compound to another and this is stepwise conversion. Alcohols can be prepared by oxidation of hydrocarbons and reduction of carbonyl compounds.

Complete Answer:
-Butan-2-ol is converted to butan-2-ol using lithium aluminum hydride which is $LiAl{{H}_{4}}$ it is a reducing agent which is used to reduce ketones to alcohols. Here butan-2-ol is a ketones and butan-2-ol is alcohol. Others reducing reagents can also be used for the conversion of butan-2-one to butan-2-ol but the most appropriate reagent is lithium aluminium hydride.
-The reaction involved in the conversion of butan-2-one to butan-2-ol is:
\[{{H}_{3}}C-C{{H}_{2}}-\overset{\overset{O}{\mathop{\parallel }}\,}{\mathop{C}}\,-C{{H}_{3}}\xrightarrow[reduction]{LiAl{{H}_{4}}}{{H}_{3}}C-C{{H}_{2}}-CHOH-C{{H}_{3}}\]

Additional information:
The reducing agent is those reactants in a chemical reaction which themselves oxidizes or loses electrons in a redox reaction or the increase in the oxidation state. If we have to determine whether the reagent is a reducing agent we have to compare by calculating the oxidation state and also many times we can compare the value of standard reduction potential.

Note: There can be more than one ways for the conversion of one compound to another; it can be done using a single reagent or can be done in a stepwise manner. Usually while solving such a question it should be kept in mind that if the question is of more marks then do a stepwise conversion and if it is of less marks then you can do it directly only make Sure that you are using a correct reagent.