Alanes chlorides, reduction

Tetrahydrofuran itself is not entirely inert to some hydrides although it is a favorite solvent for reductions with these reagents. A mixture of lithium aluminum hydride and aluminum chloride produced butyl alcohol on prolonged refluxing in yields corresponding to the amount of alane generated [633]. 

Many more examples exist for reduction of the carhonyl only. Over an osmium catalyst [763] or platinum catalyst activated by zinc acetate and ferrous chloride [782] cinnamaldehyde was hydrogenated to cinnamyl alcohol. The same product was obtained by gentle reduction with lithium aluminum hydride at —10° using the inverse technique [609], by reduction with alane (prepared in situ from lithium aluminum hydride and aluminum chloride)... 

In nitro aldehydes both the nitro group and the aldehyde group are readily reduced by catalytic hydrogenation. It may be difficult, if not impossible to hydrogenate either function separately. More dependable methods are reduction by alane [787] or by isopropyl alcohol and aluminum isopropoxide Meerwein-Ponndorf) [788] to nitro alcohols, and by stannous chloride [789, 790], titanium trichloride [590] or ferrous sulfate [218] to amino aldehydes Procedure 38, p. 214). 

The reagent of choice for the reduction of ketals to ethers is alone prepared in situ from lithium aluminum hydride and aluminum chloride in ether. At room temperature ethers are obtained in 61-92% yields [792, 934]. Cyclic ketals prepared from ketones and 1,2- or 1,3-diols afford on hydrogenolysis by alanes alkyl P- or y-hydroxyalkyl ethers in 83-92% yields [792]. 

Aldehydes are obtained in 86% and 75% yields, respectively, from benzoic acid on refluxing for 6 hours and from nicotinic acid on standing at room temperature for 24 hours with bis(N-methylpiperazino)alane in tetrahydro-furan [963]. Reduction of 3-fluorosalicylic acid with 2% sodium amalgam in aqueous solution containing sodium chloride, boric acid and p-toluidine gave, at 13-15°, a Schiff base which on hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid and steam distillation afforded 3-fluorosalicylaldehyde in 57% yield [136. The purpose of p-toluidine is to react with the aldehyde as it is formed and protect it from further reduction. 

Reduction of o /i-unsatin-ated lactams, S,6-dihydro-2-pyridones, with lithium aluminum hydride, lithium alkoxyaluminum hydrides and alane gave the corresponding piperidines. 5-Methyl-5,6-dihydro-2-pyridone (with no substituent on nitrogen) gave on reduction with lithium aluminum hydride in tetrahydrofuran only 9% yield of 2-methylpiperidine, but l,6-dimethyl-5,6-dihydro-2-pyridone and 6-methyl-l-phenyl-5,6-dihydro-2-pyridone afforded 1,2-dimethylpiperidine and 2-methyl-1-phenylpiperidine in respective yields of 47% and 65% with an excess of lithium aluminum hydride, and 91% and 92% with alane generated from lithium aluminum hydride and aluminum chloride in ether. Lithium mono-, di- and triethoxyaluminum hydrides also gave satisfactory yields (45-84%) [7752]. 

Even better yields are obtained with alane produced in situ from lithium aluminum hydride and 0.5mol of 100% sulfuric acid in tetrahydrofuran [994], or 1 mol of aluminum chloride in ether [787] Procedure 17, p. 208). One or 1.3 mol of the alane is used per mole of the nitrile and the reduction is carried out at room temperature. Comparative experiments showed somewhat higher yields of amines than those obtained by lithium aluminum hydride alone [787]. 

Primary and secondary alkyl bromides, iodides, and sulfonates can be reduced to the corresponding alkanes with LiBHEt3 (superhydride) or with lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4, other names lithium tetrahydridoaluminate or lithium alanate). If such a reaction occurs at a stereocenter, the reaction proceeds with substantial or often even complete stereoselectivity via backside attack by the hydride transfer reagent. The reduction of alkyl chlorides to alkanes is much easier with superhydride than with LiAlH4. The same is true for sterically hindered halides and sulfonates ... 

Boranes, alanes, organosilanes and organostannanes are used for reduction of organic nitrogen compounds to compounds containing N—H bonds " however, few inorganic systems form by such reactions. The nitrogen chloride CjFjNClj reacts with MCjSiH above — 25°C to form the fluoroalkylimine ... 

Alane (AIH3) and its derivatives have also been utilized in the reduction of carboxylic acids to primary alcohols. It rapidly reduces aldehydes, ketones, acid chlorides, lactones, esters, carboxylic acids and salts, tertiary amides, nitriles and epoxides. In contrast, nitro compounds and alkenes are slow to react. AIH3 is particularly useful for the chemoselective reduction of carboxylic acids containing halogen or nitro substituents, to produce the corresponding primary alcohols. DIBAL-H reduces aliphatic or aromatic carboxylic acids to produce either aldehydes (-75 °C) or primary alcohols (25 C) Aminoalu-minum hydrides are less reactive reagents and are superior for aldehyde synthesis. ... 

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