[PApharma]

Hey -
So I have this question....I need to use 1.5% Sodium amalgam in this reaction I'm doing, I can only get 5%, 10% or 20%...the reaction is a reduction of a an aldehyde to an alcohol...was I wrong in assuming that the higher % is better...I think I messed up because now I've come to the conclusion it's the mercury that's important, not the Na+...any other suggestions for another reducing agent besides this one?

[kiwi]

whats the reaction?

[movies]

It's actually the Na that does the reduction.

A different percentage probably won't affect the reaction, it will just change the amount of Na(Hg) that you use.  It's kind of like the difference between using a 1 M or a 2 M solution.