2.

Glycerol as an alternative green medium for carbonyl compound reductions

Adi Wolfson and Christina Dlugy

Org. Commun. (2009), 2:2 ; 34-41

Green Processes Center, Chemical Engineering Department, Sami Shamoon College of Engineering, Bialik/Basel Sts. Beer-Sheva, 84100 Israel

Abstract: Glycerol was employed as an alternative green reaction medium in various carbonyl reduction methodologies. The high polarity of glycerol allowed for the simple reduction of different carbonyl compounds with sodium borohydride and the enantioselective reduction of ethyl acetoacetate with both Ru-BINAP and baker's yeast. As a solvent, glycerol also allowed electro-reduction and microwave assisted reactions.

Keywords: Asymmetric hydrogenation; glycerol; green chemistry; metal hydride; reduction.