Abstract

Fast and convenient method for reduction of carbonyl compounds with NaBH4/Cu(dmg)2 in aprotic and protic solvents

Author(s): Behzad Zeynizadeh, Saviz Zarrin, Shahriar Ashuri

During the past decades, sodium borohydride as a key reagent has played an important role in the reduction of organofunctional groups in modern organic synthesis. This reagent is a relatively mild reducing agent and mostly used for the reduction of aldehydes and ketones in protic solvents. It is also know that the reducing capability of NaBH4 greatly could be accelerated by usingmany of additives. Therefore, controlling the reducing power of sodiumborohydride has been one of themain interests for organic chemists in many years. In this context, we wish to introduce a new combination systemofNaBH4 and Cu(dmg)2 for fast and efficient readuction of carbonyl compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, á-diketones and conjugated enones to their corresponding alcohols in high to excellent yields.