Highly enantioselective reduction of alkynyl ketones by a binaphthol-modified aluminum hydride reagent. Asymmetric synthesis of some insect pheromones

Alkynyl ketones can be reduced to chiral propargylic alcohols by a complex aluminum hydride modified by chiral 2,2′-dihydroxy-1,1′-binaphthyl. The synthetic utility has been demonstrated by the synthesis of the Japanese beetle and rove beetle pheromones.