Chelating alcohols accelerate the samarium diiodide mediated reduction of 3-heptanone

Initial rate studies of samarium diiodide mediated reduction of 3-heptanone to 3-heptanol are reported. The reduction of 3-heptanone with the polydentate tri(ethylene glycol) methyl ether is 16 times faster than without a proton donor, and 4.3 times faster than methanol. The primary kinetic isotope effect (KIE) was measured as kH/kD≈2, indicating a rate-determining proton transfer. Diols are superior to mono-alcohols as proton donors, the reduction of 3-heptanone is 255 times as fast with di(ethylene glycol) than in the absence of a proton donor. A mechanism of glycol accelerated samarium diiodide reduction is discussed.