A substance which reduces another in a chemical reaction, being itself oxidized in the process. An important example is hydrogen gas (H2), which is oxidized to water when it reduces a metal oxide.
| Oxidizing Agent | Reducing Agent | Reduction Potential (v) |
|---|---|---|
| Li+ + e- = | Li | -3.04 |
| Na+ + e- = | Na | -2.71 |
| Mg+2 + 2e- = | Mg | -2.38 |
| Al+3 + 3e- = | Al | -1.66 |
| 2H2O(l) + 2e- = | H2(g) + 2OH - | -0.83 |
| Cr+3 + 3e- = | Cr | -0.74 |
| Fe+2 + 2e- = | Fe | -0.41 |
| 2H+ + e- = | H2 | 0.00 |
| Sn+4 + 2e- = | Sn+2 | +0.15 |
| Cu+2 + e- = | Cu+ | +0.16 |
| Ag+ + e- = | Ag | +0.80 |
| Br2 + 2e- = | 2Br- | +1.07 |
| Cl2 + 2e- = | 2Cl- | +1.36 |
| MnO4-2 + 8H+ + 5e- = | Mn+2 + 4H2O | +1.49 |
In order to tell which is the strongest reducing agent, change the sign of its respective reduction potential in order to make it oxidation potential.
Common reducing agents
Ferrous ion Lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH4) Nascent hydrogen Potassium ferricyanide (K3Fe(CN)6) Sodium amalgam Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) Stannous ion Sulfite compounds Hydrazine (Wolff-Kishner reduction) Zinc-mercury amalgam (Zn(Hg)) (Clemmensen reduction) Diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAH) Lindlar catalyst Oxalic acid (C2H2O4)Common reducing agents and their products
| Agent | Product |
|---|---|
| H2 Hydrogen | H+, H2O |
| metals | metal ions |
| C | CO2 carbon dioxide |
| hydrocarbons | CO2 carbon dioxide, H2O |
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