ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 27, Number 1
JKCSEZ 27(1)
February 20, 1983 

Selective reduction of halide (Br, I) with lithium borohydride in halogen compounds containing chloro, nitro, ester and nitrile groups was achieved satisfactorily. 1-Bromo-4-chlorobutane was reduced to 1-chlorobutane in 96% yield and the reduction of p-nitrobenzyl bromide gave p-nitrotoluene in 98% yield. However, the selectivity on the reduction of ethyl 3-iodopropionate and 4-bromobutyronitrile required the presence of equimolar pyridine to give good yield of ethyl propionate (93%) and n-butyronitrile (88%), respectively. In competitive reduction of 1-bromoheptane and 2-bromoheptane, lithium borohydride reduced 1-bromoheptane preferentially in the molar ratio of 93:7.