Organic Chemistry : Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
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Example Question #1 : Help With Reduction
In general, the reduction of a ketone to an alcohol can be accomplished by all of the following except one. Which one will not reduce a ketone?
Hydride nucleophile
Example Question #2 : Help With Reduction
In which of the following reactions is sodium reduced?
Conversion of sodium chloride to sodium bromide
None of these reduce sodium
Conversion sodium chloride to sodium sulfide
Both of these reduce sodium
None of these reduce sodium
Reduction involves gain of electrons whereas oxidation involves loss of electrons. In reduction, the oxidation number becomes more negative (due to gain of electrons) whereas in oxidation, the oxidation number becomes more positive. Sodium is an alkali metal, found on the first column of the periodic table. Every atom in this column has one valence electron; therefore, to complete its octet every alkali metal will lose an electron and will have an oxidation number of 
Example Question #2 : Help With Reduction
A molecule undergoing oxidation __________ protons and a molecule undergoing reduction __________ protons.
loses . . . gains
loses . . . does not lose
gains . . . loses
does not lose . . . does not lose
does not lose . . . does not lose
Oxidation and reduction involve loss and gain of electrons, respectively. It does not involve loss or gain of protons. Recall that the identity of an atom is changed when the amount of protons change; therefore, it is very hard to change the amount of protons. Only few reactions (such as nuclear decay reactions) can change the number of protons and alter the identity of an atom.
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