Science Letters:Hydrogen transfer reduction of ketones using formic acid as a hydrogen donor under hydrothermal conditions

The hydrothermal experiments with ketones and formic acid showed that the hydrogen transfer reduction of ketones can be conducted using formic acid as a hydride donor in the presence of NaOH at 300 ℃. The yield of alcohols was considerably higher at a much lower ratio of hydrogen source to ketones than the traditional Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley （MPV） reduction, reaching 60% for isopropanol from acetone and 70% for lactic acid from pyruvic acid. Water molecules may act as a catalyst in the hydrogen transfer reduction of ketones under hydrothermal conditions.

The hydrothermal experiments with ketones and formic acid showed that the hydrogen transfer reduction of ketones can be conducted using formic acid as a hydride donor in the presence of NaOH at 300 °C. The yield of alcohols was considerably higher at a much lower ratio of hydrogen source to ketones than the traditional Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction, reaching 60% for isopropanol from acetone and 70% for lactic acid from pyruvic acid. Water molecules may act as a catalyst in the hydrogen transfer reduction of ketones under hydrothermal conditions.