Trichloroethanol may be prepared by the direct reduction of chloral hydrate in water with sodium borohydride. Suggest a mechanism for this reaction. (Warning! Sodium borohydride does not displace hydroxide from carbon atoms!)

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Solution

$N a B H_{4}$ is a reducing agent and it reduces first chloral hydrate into corresponding carboxylic acid and then the acid is reduced to the trichloroethanol.
Thus, $N a B H_{4}$ reduces carboxyl group to the alcohol.

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