Chemoselective hydroborative reduction of nitro motifs using a transition-metal-free catalyst

The chemoselective catalytic reduction of nitro scaffolds to value-added amine functions is desirable but challenging. We developed a combined KOtBu/BEt3 catalyst for deoxygenative reduction of nitroarenes, nitro heteroarenes and even notoriously challenging nitroalkanes using pinacolborane under mild reaction conditions. The novel transition-metal-free strategy is readily applicable to the preparation of commercially available pharmaceuticals.