Question Details

The product formed in the following chemical reaction is :

Options

A

B

C

D

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option A

Solution :

The correct answer is:

Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Analyze the Starting Reactant:
The reactant shown in the reaction image contains two functional groups capable of reduction:
• A ketone carbonyl group (cyclohexanone ring carbonyl, -C=O)
• An ester group (-CH2-COOCH3) attached as a side chain to the cyclohexane ring.

2. Understand the Reactant and Chemoselectivity of NaBH4:
The reagent specified in the reaction is sodium borohydride in ethanol:

NaBH 4  in  C 2 H 5 OH


• Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) is a mild reducing agent.
• It selectively reduces aldehydes and ketones to their corresponding alcohols.
• Under standard conditions, NaBH4 is not reactive enough to reduce esters, carboxylic acids, or amides because the ester carbonyl carbon is less electrophilic due to resonance donation from the alkoxy oxygen.

3. Predict the Product:
• The ring ketone carbonyl carbon (C=O) is selectively reduced by hydride (H-) transfer to form a secondary alcohol group (-OH).
• The ester group (-CH2-COOCH3) remains completely unreacted/intact.

Thus, the structure of the main product formed is:

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