Catalytic hydrogen transfer over magnesia, Part XVIII. , Chemoselective reduction of formyl and acetyl derivatives of furan and thiophene

Chemoselective reduction of formyl and acetyl derivatives of furan (F) and thiophene (T) to the corresponding carbinols by 2-propanol has been performed in vapour phase over MgO as a catalyst. Formyl derivatives of (F) and (T) have been reduced to the corresponding carbinols with selectivity 96 and 71%, respectively. Above 573 K the reduction of (T)-CHO was accompanied by the formation of thiophene whose yield increased with temperature (36% at 723 K). Acetyl derivatives of (F) and (T) have been reduced to the corresponding carbinols which at higher temperatures underwent dehydration to vinyl derivatives and were further reduced to ethyl derivatives. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.