Sodium cyanoborohydride (NaBH3CN) is a selective reducing agent used for a variety of chemical reductions, including aldehyde, ketones, acetals, epoxides, oximes, enamines, reductive aminations of aldehydes and ketones, and reductive alkylations of amines and hydrazines. The utility of sodium cyanoborohydride as a reducing agent is greatly enhanced by its stability under acid conditions, and its solubility in aprotic solvents. Sodium cyanoborohydride is a milder and more selective reducing agent than sodium borohydride.

Sodium cyanoborohydride is a weaker and more-selective reducing agent than sodium borohydride because of the electron-withdrawing effect of the cyano group. It has the further advantage that it is stable in acid to pH = 3 and can be employed to effect reductions in the presence of functional groups that are sensitive to the more-basic conditions of reduction with sodium borohydride.

Aldehydes and ketones are unaffected by sodium cyanoborohydride in neutral solution, but they are readily reduced to the corresponding alcohol at pH=3-4 by way of the protonated carbonyl group. By previous exchange of the hydrogens of the borohydride for deuterium or tritium, by reaction with D2O or tritiated water, an efficient and economical route is available for deuteride or tritiide reduction of aldehydes and ketones.

  Sodium Cyanoborohydride is a commonly used as a reagent in the reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones and in the reductive alkylation of amines. It is also used in the synthesis of a novel phenolate-bridged dilanthanum(III) complex of interest as a model for metalloproteins as well as for its importance in basic and applied chemistry.

Brand: Soarwin

CAS No.: 25895-60-7

EC Number: 247-317-2

Molecular Formula: CH3BNNa

Density: 1.083 g/mL at 25 °C

Melting point: >242 °C (dec.) (lit.)

Boiling point: 307°C (lit.)

Flash point: ?1 °F