Enantioselective Cathodic Reduction of Some Prochiral Ketones in the Presence of (1R,2S)-(-)-N,N-Dimethylephedrinium Tetrafluoroborate at a Mercury Pool Cathode

Abstract The enantioselective cathodic reduction of some prochiral ketones viz. acetophenone (I), propiophenone (II), butyrophenone (III), valerophenone (IV), isobutyrophenone (V), and pivalophenone (VI) has been accomplished at a mercury pool cathode in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)–water (90 : 10) using tetrabutylammonium fluoroborate (TBA·BF4) as a supporting electrolyte in the presence of (1R,2S)-(-)-N,N-dimethylephedrinium tetrafluoroborate (DET). Cyclic voltammetric investigations have been carried out and a probable mechanism of the process has been presented.