Potassium 9-O-(1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-glucofuranosyl)-9-boratabicyclononane (9-O-DIPGF-9-BBNH, K-glucoride), a new stable chiral borohydride reducing agent, was prepared by reaction of the corresponding borinic ester, 9-O-DIPGF-9-BBN, with potassium hydride in THF.The reagent provides high optical induction for asymmetric reduction of prochiral ketones, such as relatively hindered aliphatic ketones, alkyl aromatic ketones, and α-keto esters.In particular, the reduction of hindered α-keto esters provides the corresponding α-hydroxy esters with optical purities approaching 100percent ee.Moreover, the reduction of relatively hindered aliphatic ketones such as 3,3-dimethyl-2-butanone, 2,2-dimethylcyclopentanone, spirononan-1-one, and 2,2-dimethylcyclohexanone yields the corresponding alcohols in 70percent ee, 84percent ee, 82percent ee, and 64percent ee, respectively.The reduction of unhindered aliphatic ketones such as 2-butanone, 3-methyl-2-butanone, 2-octanone, and cyclohexyl methyl ketone provides the corresponding alcohols in relatively low optical purities, 3percent ee, 39percent ee, 27percent ee, and 23percent ee respectively.Alkyl aromatic ketones are reduced to the corresponding alcohols, providing products in 78percent ee for acetophenone, 92percent ee for propiophenone, 87percent ee for butyrophenone, 87percent ee for isobutyrophenone, 85,4percent ee for valerophenone, 97-100percent ee for pivalophenone, and 91percent ee for 2'-methylacetophenone.The reduction of α-keto esters provides the corresponding α-hydroxy esters in exceptionally high ee, such as 86percent ee for methyl pyruvate, 86percent ee for ethyl pyruvate, 87percent ee for isopropyl pyruvate, 81percent ee for tert-butyl pyruvate, 92percent ee for ethyl 2-oxobutanoate, 94percent ee for ethyl 2-oxopentanoate, 98percent ee for methyl 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate, 97percent ee for ethyl 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoate, 97percent ee for methyl 3,3-dimethyl-2-oxobutanoate, 98percent ee for ethyl 3,3-dimethyl-2-oxobutanoate, 93percent ee for ethyl 4-methyl-2-oxopenyanoate, 92percent ee for methyl benzoylformate, 94percent ee for ethyl benzoylformate, 93percent ee for isopropyl benzoylformate, and 96percent ee for ethyl α-oxo-1-naphthaleneacetate.The reduction of relatively more hindered ketones such as 3,3-diethyl-2-pentanone, 2,2,2-triphenylacetone, 2,2,2-triethylacetophenone, 2,2,2-triphenylacetophenone, and 2',4',6'-trimethylacetophenone results in a serious decrease in optical purity, 25percent ee, 7percent ee, 34percent ee, 4percent ee, and 35percent ee, respectively. 4-Chlorobenzophenone is reduced to 4-chlorobenzhydrol in only 11,5percent ee.Ethyl 2,2-dimethylacetoacetate is reduced to ethyl 2,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxybutanoate in 43percent ee.The reductions of alkyl heterocyclic ketones such as 2-acetylfuran, 2-acetylthiophene, and 3-acetylpyridine afford the corresponding alcohols with 42percent ee, 42percent ee, and 70percent ee, respectively.The reductions of α-halo ketones, 2-chloroacetophenone and 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone, yield the corresponding halohydrins in 77percent ee and 48percent ee, respectively. trans-4-Phenyl-3-buten-2-one is reduced to the corresponding allylic alcohol in 60percent ee.The reduction of 4-phenyl-3-butyn-2-one provides the corresponding acetylenic alcohol in 61percent ee.The ...