Asymmetric reduction of aliphatic ketones and acyl silanes using chiral anti-pentane-2,4-diol and a catalytic amount of 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid

Aliphatic ketones were reduced to the corresponding secondary alcohols by using anti-1,3-diol and a catalytic amount of 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBSA) in benzene at reflux. Addition of 1-octanethiol in that media improved the efficiency of the reduction. Asymmetric reduction of aliphatic ketones was performed by using chiral anti-pentane-2,4-diol, and highly asymmetric induction (up to >99% ee) was observed in the reduction of tert-alkyl ketones. Asymmetric reduction of acyl silanes using chiral anti-pentane-2,4-diol and DNBSA proceeded efficiently in the absence of octanethiol and the corresponding α-silyl alcohols were obtained in high yields with high ees.