A reducing agent (also called a reductant or reducer) is the element or compound in a reduction-oxidation (redox) reaction that donates an electron to another species; however, since the reducer loses an electron we say it is "oxidized". This means that there must be an "oxidizer"; because if any chemical is an electron donor (reducer), another must be an electron recipient (oxidizer). Thus reducers are "oxidized" by oxidizers and oxidizers are "reduced" by reducers; reducers are by themselves reduced (have more electrons) and oxidizers are by themselves oxidized (have less electrons). For example, consider the following reaction:
- 2 4− + Cl2 → 2 3− + 2 Cl−
The reducing agent in this reaction is ferrocyanide (4-). It donates an electron, becoming oxidized to ferricyanide (3-). Simultaneously, the oxidizer chlorine is reduced to chloride.
In organic chemistry, reduction more specifically refers to the addition of hydrogen to a molecule, though the aforementioned definition still applies. For example, benzene is reduced to cyclohexane in the presence of a platinum catalyst:
- C6H6 + 3 H2 → C6H12
In organic chemistry, good reducing agents are reagents that deliver H2.
Read more about Reducing Agent: Characteristics of Reducing Agents, Importance of Reducing and Oxidizing Agents, Example of Redox Reaction, Common Reducing Agents, Several Common Reducing Agents and Their Products
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