Sodium borohydride reduction of aldehydes catalyzed by an oxovanadium(IV) Schiff base complex encapsulated in the nanocavity of zeolite-Y

Selective reduction of a wide range of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to the corresponding alcohols with NaBH4 was achieved in the presence of an oxovanadium(IV) Schiff base complex encapsulated in the nanopores of zeolite Y (VOL-Y). For most of the aldehydes, a conversion of 100% was observed after less than 5 min. High chemoselectivity of the reduction for aldehydes over ketones was verified by a competitive reduction between 4-methylbenzaldehyde and acetophenone. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.