Sodium arenetellurolate-catalyzed reduction of nitroalkanes to oximes

Treatment of aliphatic nitro compounds with NaBH₄ in alkaline ethanol in the presence of a catalytic amount of diaryl ditelluride at 25°C for 5–20 h produces the corresponding oximes, generally as a mixture of E/Z isomers, in fair to good yields. Arenetellurolate anion (ArTe⁻) generated in situ is suggested to be the active species for the reduction.