Montmorillonite supported (-)N-dodecyl-N-methyl ephedrenium borohydride: An efficient reducing agent

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)92057-4

The clay supported reagent reduces ketones under phase transfer conditions efficiently. A two fold activation of the carbonyl group - one by the Lewis acid sites on clay and the other by the β-hydroxy group of ephedreium moiety, ensures facile eductions -maintaining a fair degree of stereoselectivity in reducing some of the cyclic ketones. Asymmetric inductions of 1-9.7% were observed in case of some prochiral ketones.