Dithionite (sodium dithionite, Na2S2O4) is a strong reducing agent, and when it reacts with formaldehyde (CH2O), it can reduce the aldehyde to methanol (CH3OH). The reaction can also lead to the formation of a range of other products under certain conditions.
The general reaction can be represented as follows:
\[ \text{CH}_2\text{O} + \text{Na}_2\text{S}_2\text{O}_4 \rightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{OH} + \text{by-products} \]
In this reaction,