Highly enantioselective reduction of achiral ketones with NaBH4/Me3SiCl catalyzed by (S)-α,α-diphenylpyrrolidinemethanol

The reducing agent prepared from sodium borohydride, trimethylsilyl chloride and a catalytic amount of (S)-alpha,alpha -diphenylpyrrolidinemethanol has been successfully applied to the enantioselective reduction of ketones. The optically active secondary alcohols were obtained in excellent enantiomeric excess and almost quantitative chemical yield. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.