Indium Tri(isopropoxide)-Catalyzed Selective Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley Reduction of Aliphatic and Aromatic Aldehydes

Indium tri(isopropoxide)-catalyzed Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes in 2-propanol gave selectively the corresponding primary alcohols in good to excellent yields at room temperature. A wide range of functional groups including alkene, ether; ketone, ester, nitrile, and nitro were tolerated under the optimum reaction conditions. Chemoselective reductions were also achieved not only between aromatic aldehyde, aromatic ketone, and epoxide but also between aliphatic aldehyde and alkene.