A Facile Reduction Procedure for N,N′‐bis[5‐Substituted Salicylidene]‐m/p‐phenylenediamines with Sodium Borohydride–Silica Gel System

Abstract

An easy approach involving sodium borohydride/silica gel system offers a fast method of reduction for N,N′‐bis[5‐substituted salicylidene] m/p‐phenylenediamines to the corresponding amines with excellent yield. The observed formation of boron chelates in the borohydride reduction of some related Schiff bases has been avoided in this method.

Keywords:

• Sodium borohydride
• Silica gel
• Schiff base
• Diimines

Acknowledgment

The authors thank DST, New Delhi for assistance under the IRHPA program for the sNMR facility. One of the authors (V.S.) thanks CSIR, New Delhi for a Senior Research Fellowship.