Which main product results from reducing ethyl benzoate with LiAlH4?

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Multiple Choice

Which main product results from reducing ethyl benzoate with LiAlH4?

LiAlH4 reduces esters to primary alcohols, with the alkoxy part expelled as an alcohol. For ethyl benzoate, the ester is Ph–COOEt. Reduction breaks the C=O bond and converts it to Ph–CH2OH, giving benzyl alcohol as the main product. The leaving ethoxy group becomes ethanol. So the key result is benzyl alcohol (Ph–CH2OH), not benzoic acid, ethanol, or ethyl benzene.

LiAlH4 reduces esters to primary alcohols, with the alkoxy part expelled as an alcohol. For ethyl benzoate, the ester is Ph–COOEt. Reduction breaks the C=O bond and converts it to Ph–CH2OH, giving benzyl alcohol as the main product. The leaving ethoxy group becomes ethanol. So the key result is benzyl alcohol (Ph–CH2OH), not benzoic acid, ethanol, or ethyl benzene.

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