The reduction of thiazolium salts with sodium borohydride. Part II. The mechanism and stereochemistry of reduction

Abstract

The reaction pathway suggested for this reduction has been confirmed in detail by experiments using sodium borodeuteride in water and in deuterium oxide. The reduction of a number of substituted thiazolium salts has been shown to yield diastereomeric mixtures of thiazolidines from which it has been possible in some cases, including that of thiamine, to isolate one pure species.