Question

After the reaction between sodium borohydride and the ketone is complete, the reaction mixture is treated with water and H2SO4 to produce the desired alcohol. Explain the reaction by clearly indicating the source of the hydrogen atom that ends up on the oxygen

Answer 1

The hydrogen can be gotten from the added Acid or water during "workup".

Step-by-step explanation:

Basically we can say that the reaction describe in this question is a Reduction reaction because of the chemical compound called sodium borohydride. In the reaction described above we can see that there is a Reduction of ketone to alcohol by the compound; sodium borohydride.

For the reduction Reaction to occur the C-O bond must break so as to enable the formation of O-H bond and C-H bond.

So, "the reaction mixture is treated with water and H2SO4 to produce the desired alcohol", thus, the oxygen will definitely pick up the hydrogen from H2SO4 or H2O.