A reducing agent (also called a reductant or reducer) is the
element or a compound in a redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction
(see electrochemistry) that reduces another species. In doing
so, it becomes oxidized, and is therefore the electron donor in
the redox. For example consider the following reaction: -
[Fe(CN)6]4- + 1/2 Cl2 → [Fe(CN)6]3- + Cl - C6H6 + 3 H2 → C6H12
In organic chemistry, good reducing agents are reagents that
deliver H2. What makes a strong reducing agent? Strong reducing
agents easily lose (or donate) electrons. Atoms with relatively
large atomic radii tend to be better reductants. In such
species, the distance from the nucleus to the valence electrons
is so long that these electrons are not strongly attracted.
These elements tend to be strong reducing agents. Good reducing
agents tend to consist of atoms with a low electronegativity,
the ability of an atom or molecule to attract bonding
electrons1, and relatively small ionization energies serve as
good reducing agents too. "The measure o