Reduction of Carboxylic Acids and Esters
Carboxylic acids and esters are reduced to give primary alcohols
these reactions are not as rapid as the analogous reductions of aldehydes and ketones: NaBH4 reduces very slowly and does not reduce carboxylic acids at all. carboxylic acid and ester reductions are therefore usually carried out with the more reactive
reducing agent LiAlH4. All carbonyl groups, including acids, esters, and aldehydes, are rapidly reduced by LiAlH4. Note that one hydrogen atom is delivered to the carbonyl carbon atom during ketoine and aldehyde reductions, but that two hydrogens become bonded to the former carbonyl carbon during carboxylic acid and ester reductions