Which of the following chemical reducing agents are highly effective at reducing carboxylic acids di — Alcohols Phenols and Ethers Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Carboxylic acids are notoriously difficult to reduce. Lithium aluminium hydride ($LiAlH_4$) and diborane ($B_2H_6$) are strong electrophilic reducing agents capable of reducing them directly to primary alcohols. Milder agents like $NaBH_4$ and standard catalytic hydrogenation ($H_2/Ni$) generally fail to reduce carboxylic acids.