1994 Volume 42 Issue 2 Pages 402-404
The reduction of organic functionalities with a samarium or ytteribium metal-hydrochloric acid system was investigated. Carboxylic acid, ester, amide and nitrile were rapidly reduced to the corresponding alcohol or primary amine with samarium or ytteribium metal in the presence of hydrochloric acid at room temperature under an argon atmosphere in good yields. Carboxylic acid was similarly reduced to alcohol with a magnesium or yttrium-hydrochloric acid system.