Sodium borohydride NaBH₄ CAS 16940-66-2
Sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) is a white crystalline inorganic hydride supplied as a moisture-sensitive solid. It is widely used as a selective reducing agent in organic synthesis (carbonyl reductions, reductive amination, etc.), as an in-situ hydrogen source for metal nanoparticle preparation and hydrogen-generation applications, and as a reagent in specialty inorganic syntheses. NaBH₄ reacts with protic media to release hydrogen and must be handled under dry, inert conditions with controlled addition procedures.
Applications
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Selective reducing agent (organic synthesis) — reductions of aldehydes, ketones, imines, and selective reductive transformations in fine-chemical and API synthesis.
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Hydrogen source & nanoparticle synthesis — controlled generation of hydrogen for in-situ reduction of metal salts to metal nanoparticles (Ag, Cu, etc.).
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Pharmaceutical and fine-chemical intermediates — used in synthesis routes that require mild, chemoselective hydride donors.
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Specialty inorganic synthesis — preparation of boron-containing materials and reductive transformations in inorganic chemistries.
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Analytical reagent & R&D — laboratory reagent for method development, mechanism studies and pilot-scale evaluation.
