What differentiates the reduction products obtained from aldehydes and ketones, and how are aldehydes and ketones reduced by lithium aluminium hydride?

The reduction products obtained from aldehydes and ketones differ in the number of substituents attached to the carbonyl carbon. Aldehydes are reduced to primary alcohols, while ketones are reduced to secondary alcohols. Lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH4) is a powerful reducing agent used for this transformation. In the presence of LiAlH4, the hydride ion (H-) attacks the electrophilic carbon of the carbonyl group, leading to the reduction of the carbonyl functionality. The resulting intermediates undergo subsequent protonation to yield the corresponding alcohols. This method provides a versatile and widely used approach for the reduction of aldehydes and ketones to alcohols.