Nickel Phthalocyanine Assisted Highly Efficient and Selective Carbonyl Reduction in Polyethylene Glycol-400

Abstract

Nickel phthalocyanine with polyethylene glycol-400 is described as a reusable green catalytic system for highly chemo- and regioselective reduction of carbonyl compounds to corresponding alcohols at room temperature. The catalytic system showed wide substrate scope covering aromatic, hetero aromatic and aliphatic carbonyl compounds with high turnover number and frequency. In the present study, 1,3- and 1,4-benzenedicarbaldehydes have been regioselectively reduced to corresponding alcohols for the first time. The catalyst was reused up to seven times without any significance loss in activity. Rapid and efficient nickel phthalocyanine catalyzed chemo- and regioselective reduction of carbonyl compounds to corresponding alcohols has been established. The advantages of present method include high TON/TOF, wide substrate scope and use of green solvent at room temperature .