Commercially, carboxylic acids are reduced to alcohols by first converting them to esters, followed by catalytic hydrogenation. Lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH₄) is considered less economical for this purpose due to its high cost, and it is primarily used for specialized chemical preparations.
How are carboxylic acids commercially reduced to alcohols, and why is lithium aluminium hydride considered less economical for this transformation?
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Carboxylic acids are commercially reduced to alcohols through catalytic hydrogenation using metal catalysts, such as palladium or Raney nickel, under high pressure. This process selectively reduces the carboxyl group to form the corresponding alcohol. Lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH₄) is less economical for this transformation due to its high reactivity and potential side reactions. LiAlH₄ is a strong reducing agent that can over-reduce the alcohol product to the corresponding alkane, and its use requires careful control of reaction conditions. Catalytic hydrogenation provides better selectivity and efficiency in the reduction of carboxylic acids to alcohols on an industrial scale.