We have seen how alcohols can be synthesized from the reductions of carbonyl compounds. But, alcohols can also be reduced. Reductions are the opposite of oxidations we have been studying in the previous sections. So, if an alcohol, with one C-O bond, is reduced, it makes a compound with zero C-O bonds, an alkane. One simple way to reduce an alcohol is to turn the hydroxyl group into a good leaving group like a tosylate. Reacting the alcohol with tosyl chloride, TsCl, and pyridine can do this. Once the tosylate is formed, it can be reduced by the reaction with lithium aluminum hydride, LiAlH4.