Formate reduction of aldehydes using a photogenerated chromium carbonyl catalyst

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(88)89052-1

The aldehydes RCHO (R = p-tolyl, p-anysil, n-hexyl) are reduced to the corresponding alcohols RCH2OH by sodium formate in 95percent aqueous methanol in the presence of a catalyst photogenerated from Cr(CO)6.