An improved radical chain procedure for the deoxygenation of secondary and primary alcohols using diphenylsilane as hydrogen atom donor and triethylborane-air as initiator

Abstract

Thiocarbonyl derivatives of secondary alcohols are readily reduced by diphenylsilane in a radical chain process at room temperature using triethylborane-air as an initiator. Primary alcohols react similarly at 80°. Comparison is made with the similar reactivity of tris(trimethylsilyl)silane.