A practical and highly chemoselective hydrogenation of aldehydes with a copper catalyst

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-0028-1216726

A practical hydrogenation of aldehydes mediated by an inexpensive and easily available base metal, copper, is reported. A copper complex associated with 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (DPPB) hydrogenates α,β- unsaturated aldehydes in a highly chemoselective fashion to give allylic alcohols with improved catalytic productivities. The reaction system was also effective for the conversion of simple aldehydes to the corresponding alcohols. Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart.