Catalytic hydrogen transfer reductions using ammonium formate: a review

Abstract

An account of recent developments on selective reduction of several important functional groups by catalytic transfer hydrogenation using ammonium formate and palladium or nickel is presented. This includes reduction of nitro alcohols, α,β-unsaturated nitroalkenes, quinoline and isoquinoline, carbonyl functionalities, carbon-carbon double bond in conjugation to carbonyl, sulfonyl and phosphonate moieties, and epoxides. Deoxygenation of heteroaromatic N-oxides and deprotection of 1,3-dibenzyluracils have also been addressed.