Polymethylhydrosiloxane reduction of carbonyl function catalysed by titanium tetrachloride

Reduction of aromatic aldehydes and ketones into the corresponding methylene derivatives by polymethylhydrosiloxane in the presence of titanium tetrachloride as catalyst was achieved in good to excellent yields ranging from 55-90%. The reaction took place under relatively mild conditions and smoothly led to the desired target molecules in the presence of other functional groups such as halogens, hydroxyl, nitro and methoxy groups. However, in the reduction of the substrate with two methoxy groups in close proximity (1,2-positions), the reaction necessitated a larger amount of the titanium catalyst and a longer reaction time to complete the reduction of the carbonyl function due to a likely complex formation of titanium tetrachloride with the methoxy groups.