Synthesis of Formamidines from Carbodiimides with Sodium Borohydride in Isopropanol

Abstract

Reduction of the N, N'-disubstituted carbodiimides with sodium borohydride in isopropanol performs a convenient synthetic method of the corresponding formamidines. tert-Butanol, pyridine, and tetrahydrofuran proved also available as solvents for the procedure, while methanol or ethanol was unsuitable for the lower yield of the formamidine, probably due to the further reduction to proceed.