Copper(II) triflate-catalyzed reduction of carboxylic acids to alcohols and reductive etherification of carbonyl compounds

A protocol is described for the reduction of carboxylic acids to primary alcohols using 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane (TMDS) and a catalytic amount of Cu(OTf)2. Aliphatic as well as aromatic carboxylic acids are reduced in high selectivity and good yields. TMDS/Cu(OTf)2 has also been found to be an efficient catalytic reducing system for the preparation of symmetrical ethers from carbonyl compounds under mild conditions.