K-selectride is the

organoboron compound Organoboron chemistry or organoborane chemistry studies organoboron compounds, also called organoboranes. These chemical compounds combine boron and carbon; typically, they are organic derivatives of borane (BH3), as in the trialkyl boranes. Or ...

with the formula . It is the potassium salt of tri(sec-butyl)borohydride. The compound is sold as solution in THF. It is a strong reducing agent. Solutions are pyrophoric and highly reactive toward water and protic compounds. It is handled using

air-free technique Air-free techniques refer to a range of manipulations in the chemistry laboratory for the handling of compounds that are air-sensitive. These techniques prevent the compounds from reacting with components of air, usually water and oxygen; less com ...

. It is produced by the reaction of tri(sec-butyl)borane with

potassium hydride Potassium hydride, KH, is the inorganic compound of potassium and hydrogen. It is an alkali metal hydride. It is a white solid, although commercial samples appear gray. It is a powerful superbase that is useful in organic synthesis. It is sold com ...

. The reagent is used to reduce

ketone In organic chemistry, a ketone is an organic compound with the structure , where R and R' can be a variety of carbon-containing substituents. Ketones contain a carbonyl group (a carbon-oxygen double bond C=O). The simplest ketone is acetone ( ...

s to alcohols.

Related compounds

*Lithium trisiamylborohydride *

Lithium triethylborohydride Lithium triethylborohydride is the organoboron compound with the formula Li Et3 BH. Commonly referred to as LiTEBH or Superhydride, it is a powerful reducing agent used in organometallic and organic chemistry. It is a colorless or white liquid b ...

("Super hydride") *

L-selectride L-selectride is a organoboron compound with the chemical formula . A colorless salt, it is usually dispensed as a solution in THF. As a particularly basic and bulky borohydride, it is used for stereoselective reduction of ketones. Use in synthesis ...

{{chem2, Li CH3CH2CH(CH3))3BH}

References

Borohydrides Reducing agents Sec-Butyl compounds