The Bouveault–Blanc reduction is a chemical reaction in which an ester is reduced to primary alcohols using absolute ethanol and sodium metal.
[5] Modified versions of which were subsequently refined and published in Organic Syntheses.
Because the hydrolysis of sodium is rapid, not to mention dangerous, the Bouveault-Blanc reaction requires anhydrous ethanol and can give low yields with insufficiently dry ethanol.
It requires vigorous reaction conditions and has a significant risk of fires, explaining its relative unpopularity.
One modification involves encapsulating the alkali metal into a silica gel, which has a safety and yield profile similar to that of hydride reagents.