Autorecycling system for the specific 1,4-reduction of α, β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds catalysed by 1,5-dihydro-5-deazaflavin

Abstract

A useful autorecycling system for the specific 1,4-reduction of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds to the corresponding saturated carbonyl compounds catalysed by a 10-aryl-5-deazaflavin in formic acid is reported. The specific reduction behaviour toward α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds is interpreted in terms of frontier molecular orbital theory (PM3 method).