Chemoselective Reduction of Sterically Demanding N,N-Diisopropylamides to Aldehydes

A sequential one-pot process for chemo-selectively reducing sterically demanding N,N-diisopropylamides to aldehydes has been developed. In this reaction, amides are activated with EtOTf to form imidates, which are reduced with LiAlH(OR)(3) [R = t-Bu, Et] to give aldehydes by hydrolysis of the resulting hemiaminals. The non-nucleophilic base 2,6-DTBMP remarkably improves reaction efficiency. The combination of EtOTf/2,6-DTBMP and LiAlH(O-t-Bu)(3) was found to be optimal for reducing alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and 2-monosubstituted aryl N,N-diisopropylamides. In contrast, EtOTf and LiAlH(OEt)(3) in the absence of base were found to be optimal for reducing extremely sterically demanding 2,6-disubstituted N,N-diisopropylbenzamides. The reaction tolerates various reducible functional groups, including aldehyde and ketone. H-1 NMR studies confirmed the formation of imidates stable in water. The synthetic usefulness of this methodology was demonstrated with N,N-diisopropylamide-directed ortho-metalation and C-H bond activation.