Palladium catalyzed activation of borane-amine adducts:: rate enhancement of amine-borane methanolysis in the reduction of nitrobenzenes to anilines

Hydrolytically stable borane-amines can be activated in situ through palladium catalysis and perform reductions not possible otherwise. Hence, borane-trimethylamine is an efficient hydrogen-transfer reagent for the open vessel reduction of nitroaryls to anilines. Likewise, the palladium catalyzed methanolysis/decomplexation of stable borane-amine adducts is accelerated by the action of nitrobenzene. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.