ChemInform Abstract: Facile and Chemoselective Reduction of Carboxylic Acids to Alcohols Using BOP Reagent and Sodium Borohydride

Hydroxybenzotriazolyl esters, formed in situ from carboxylic acids and BOP reagent, react with sodium borohydride in THF to give alcohols in high yields. This method is convenient, rapid and chemoselective, with such functional groups as nitro, halide, nitrile, azido and ester being unaffected.