ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 19, Number 5
JKCSEZ 19(5)
October 20, 1975 

Selective reduction of carbonyl group with zinc borohydride in the presence of ester functional group was demonstrated with seven representative keto esters. Either hydroxy esters or lactones were obtained in good yields; ethyl 6-hydroxyheptanoate (83.0 %), ethyl 2,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-2-cyclohexenecarboxylate (82.3 %), ethyl p-(α-hydroxyethyl)-phenylacetate (78.9 %), 4-phenylbutyrolactone (70.2 %), and 3-phenylphthalide (92.4 %) were obtained from the corresponding keto esters.