Reduction of aromatic nitriles into aldehydes using calcium hypophosphite and a nickel precursor

Abstract

Herein we report the reduction of aromatic nitriles into aldehydes with calcium hypophosphite in the presence of base and nickel(II) complex in a water/ethanol mixture. This catalytic system reduced efficiently a series of aromatic nitriles bearing different functional groups such as –Cl, –CF₃, –Br, –CH₃, –OCH₃, –COOCH₂CH₃, –OH and –CHO. The corresponding aldehydes were isolated in moderate to excellent yields (30–94%).