New reactivity of a reducing reagent generated from a copper(I) salt and ahydrosilane: Selective reduction of ketones and olefins conjugated with anaromatic group

Aromatic ketones and olefins were selectively converted to the correspondin g alcohols and alkanes by a reagent prepared from a copper(I) salt and a hy drosilane. Excess use of the hydrosilane is most important to attain the hi gh reactivities. One-electron transfer process as well as nucleophilic reac tion of hydride would contribute to the selectivity.