Synthesis 2009(4): 660-664  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1083353
PAPER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

Cobalt(II) Chloride Hexahydrate-Diisopropylamine Catalyzed Mild and Chemoselective Reduction of Carboxylic Esters with Sodium Borohydride

Arun R. Jagdale, Abhimanyu S. Paraskar, Arumugam Sudalai*
Chemical Engineering and Process Development Division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pashan Road, Pune 411 008, India
Fax: +91(20)25902676; e-Mail: a.sudalai@ncl.res.in;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 28 July 2008
Publication Date:
02 February 2009 (online)

Abstract

The cobalt-catalyzed reduction of unsaturated α-cyano carboxylic esters using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) leads to the corresponding saturated cyano alcohols in high yields. In particular, the new catalytic system cobalt(II) chloride-diisopropylamine in combination with NaBH4 showed excellent activity in the chemoselective reduction of a variety of carboxylic esters to their corresponding alcohols in good to excellent yields under mild conditions.