T. Ohta, M. Kamiya, Keisuke Kusui
Sep 17, 1999
Citations
0
Influential Citations
25
Citations
Journal
Tetrahedron Letters
Abstract
Carboxylic esters were reduced to alcohols by diphenylsilane catalyzed by a Rh complex at room temperature. For example, ethyl decanoate and ethyl phenylacetate were converted to decanol and 2-phenylethanol by [RhCl(cod)]24PPh3 for 72 hours in 98 and 92% yields, respectively. Wilkinson's catalyst is also usable, and the reduction of ethyl decanoate finished in 6 hours at room temperature. The bromo-substitutent on ethyl 7-bromoheptanoate remained intact through this reduction.