Reduction of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives Using Diphenylsilane in the Presence of a Rh–PPh3 Complex

Abstract

Reductions of carboxylic acid derivatives by silanes in the presence of rhodium complexes were studied. Carboxylic esters were reduced to alcohols by diphenylsilane catalyzed by [RhCl(cod)]₂/4PPh₃ or [RhCl(PPh₃)₃] at room temperature in up to 99% yields. For example, ethyl decanoate and ethyl phenylacetate were converted to decanol and 2-phenylethanol in 98 and 92% yields, respectively. Carboxylic acids were also reduced by this reducing system to the corresponding alcohols in high yields. Furthermore, N-monosubstituted amides were reduced to secondary amines in moderate to good yields. For sterically hindered amides, the yields were moderate, and imines were produced in competitive yields.