Use of water as a direct hydrogen donor in supercritical carbon dioxide: a novel and efficient Zn–H2O–CO2 system for selective reduction of aldehydes to alcohols

Abstract

This is the first report that Zn–H₂O–CO₂ is an excellent reducing reagent for the reduction of aldehydes in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂). The corresponding alcohols were obtained in good yields and excellent selectivity. The experimental results showed that scCO₂ plays an important role in this reduction.