Effect of borane source on the enantioselectivity in the enantiopure oxazaborolidine‐catalyzed asymmetric borane reduction of ketones

The effect of borane source on enantioselectivity in the enantiopure oxazaborolidine‐catalyzed asymmetric borane reduction of ketones has been investigated by using (S)‐3,1,2‐oxazaborobicyclo[3.3.0]octane and (S)‐7,3,1,2‐thiaxazaborobicyclo[3.3.0]octane as catalysts. The results indicate that the enantioselective order of different borane sources is borane–dimethyl sulfide < borane–N,N‐diethylaniline < borane–THF for the asymmetric reduction of a ketone under the same conditions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 18:740–746, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20370