Lithium triethylborohydride and monomeric aluminium t-butoxide as the active intermediates in the reductive opening of tetrahydrofuran and related ethers by the triethylborane induced reaction of lithium tri-t-butoxyaluminohydride

Abstract

The remarkable reductive opening of tetrahydrofuran and related ethers by lithium tri-t-butoxyaluminohydride in the presence of triethylborane involves lithium triethylborohydride and a metastable monomeric aluminium t-butoxide formed initially in the reaction of the two reagents.