Alpine borane reaction with aldehydes

In the second step, achiral 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (9-BBN) adds to the less hindered diastereotopic face of a-pinene to yield the chiral reducing agent Alpine-Borane. Aldehydes are rapidly reduced to alcohols. The reaction with deuterio-Alpine-Borane, which yields (R)-a-d-henzy alcohol in 98% enantiomeric excess ( ) reveals a very high degree of selectivity of the enantiotopic faces of the aldehyde group in a crowded transition state ... 

The reduction is bimolecular and thus the rate is dependent on concentration. Running the reaction neat provides the fastest rates. Usually an excess of Alpine-Borane is used to insure that the reaction does not become excessively slow at the end of the reduction. The excess organoborane may be destroyed by addition of an aldehyde such as Acetaldehyde. The resulting alkoxy-9-BBN may be treated with Ethanolamine to liberate the alcohol and precipitate the majority of the 9-BBN. Any remaining borane impurities may be removed by oxidation with basic Hydrogen Peroxide. 

Alpine-Borane,prepared by hydroborationofa-pinenewith9-borabicyclo[3.3. Ijnonane (9-BBN), reduces aldehydes, a-keto esters and acetylenic ketones with excellent enantioselectivity. The reduction proceeds via a cyclic process similar to the MPV reaction. 

Bland, L., Panigot, M. J. Reaction of Alpine-Borane with aldehydes reactivity rate assessment by observation of the disappearance of the carbonyl n - P peak by UV-visible spectroscopy. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 2000, 54, 24-32. 

Similar to the reduction of aldehydes, reduction of ketones with Alpine-Borane also involves two competing reaction pathways, a bimolecular -hydride elimination process (cyclic mechanism) affording optically active product [6], and a dehydroboration-reduction sequence yielding racemic product [2] (Scheme 26.1). 

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