The use of borane-amine adducts as versatile palladium-catalyzed hydrogen-transfer reagents in methanol

The scope of borane-amine adducts as reducing agents is broadened through palladium-catalyzed methanolysis capable of reducing a wide variety of functional groups. Hence, borane mediated reduction of a benzamide followed by a tandem methanolysis/hydrogenolysis of the resulting borane-benzylamine adduct allows chemoselective removal of an N-benzoyl in the presence of an O-benzoyl. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.