A Long-Sought Reactivity of a Sodium Hydride

Hydride from sodium hydride acts as a base and not as a nucleophile, due to its small size and high charge density. However, recent research has found that a sodium hydride–sodium iodide composite can be a unique hydride donor in the challenging partial reduction of inert amides to imines. Hydride from sodium hydride acts as a base and not as a nucleophile, due to its small size and high charge density. However, recent research has found that a sodium hydride–sodium iodide composite can be a unique hydride donor in the challenging partial reduction of inert amides to imines.