The Diverse Applications of Sodium l-Ascorbate as a Reducing Agent in Organic Synthesis

Abstract Sodium l-ascorbate is an inexpensive and non-hazardous organic salt derived from ascorbic acid that is widely applied as a reducing agent in diverse industrial processes and occurs naturally in some plants and animals. In organic synthesis it can participate in a variety of reactions, playing different roles as a secondary or main reactant to promote a wide range of chemical transformations, being most commonly used along with metallic catalysts. This graphical review highlights some of the numerous applications of sodium ascorbate as a reactant in organic reactions.