Reduction of Carbonyl Function to a Methyl Group

Abstract

A direct exhaustive reduction of aliphatic carbonyl functions (aldehydes, acyl chlorides, esters and carboxylic acids) to a methyl group by triethylsilane (Et₃SiH) in the presence of catalytic amount of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane [B(C₆F₅)₃] is described. Aromatic carbonyl functions could undergo partial reduction to the corresponding TES-protected benzylic alcohols.

Key words

reductions - aldehydes - acyl chlorides - esters - carboxylic acids

References

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A similar partial reduction of carbonyl functions by using Ph₃SiH has been recently reported, see Ref. [10]