Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Nucleophilic Addition
Nucleophilic addition is a fundamental reaction in organic chemistry where a nucleophile attacks an electrophilic carbon atom, typically found in carbonyl compounds. In this case, diethylamine (Et2NH) acts as the nucleophile, attacking the carbonyl carbon of the cyclic compound, leading to the formation of an intermediate that can further react.
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Reduction Reactions
Reduction reactions involve the gain of electrons or a decrease in oxidation state by a molecule. Sodium triacetoxyborohydride (Na(OAc)3BH) is a mild reducing agent that can convert carbonyl groups into alcohols. In this reaction, after the nucleophilic addition, the carbonyl group is reduced to an alcohol, resulting in a more stable product.
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Mechanism of Reaction
Understanding the mechanism of a reaction is crucial for predicting products. The mechanism outlines the step-by-step process of how reactants transform into products, including bond formation and breaking. In this case, the mechanism involves the nucleophilic attack by diethylamine followed by the reduction of the resulting intermediate by sodium triacetoxyborohydride, leading to the final product.
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