Identify the major product of the following reaction:

Step-by-step solution

The given reactant is a spiro-1,3-dioxolan-4-one derivative, which contains a lactone (cyclic ester) and an acetal functional group. Lithium aluminum hydride (LAH) is a strong reducing agent that reduces esters to primary alcohols. The reduction of the 1,3-dioxolan-4-one ring with LAH proceeds via the cleavage of the ester C-O bond. The carbonyl carbon is reduced to a hydroxymethyl group ( -CH₂OH ). The remaining hemiacetal intermediate collapses (or hydrolyzes during workup), resulting in a hydroxyl group ( -OH )