Selective One-Pot Conversion of Carboxylic Acids into Alcohols

Carboxylic acids are converted into alcohols by chemoselective reduction of their corresponding fluorides with sodium borohydride and dropwise addition of methanol. The method is general and mild and displays a high level of functional group compatibility. N-Protected amino and peptide alcohols, bearing varieties of protecting groups, are prepared in the same way from their corresponding amino acids and peptides without racemization.