Hydrides alanates

In dicarboxylic acids with one free and one esterified carboxyl group the free carboxyl only may be reduced with hydrides (alanes, boranes). The monoethyl ester or adipic acid was converted by an equimolar amount of borane in tetrahydrofuran at —18° to 25° to ethyl 6-hydroxyhexanoate in 88% yield [971] Procedure 19, p. 209). 

The trimethylamine adduct of aluminum hydride (alane) has been of recent interest as a precursor for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of aluminum metal1 and aluminum gallium arsenide thin films.2 Because of the absence of aluminum-carbon covalent bonds in the precursor, carbon incorporation in the resulting films can be suppressed significantly. In addition, the deposition temperature can be lowered. 

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