Plutonium(III)-catalyzed Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reactions

The reactivity of Th(IV), U(III), U(IV), Pu(III) and Pu(IV) iso-propoxide i n the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley reduction of ketones by iso-propanol have be en examined. Plutonium(III) iso-propoxide is found to be an effective catal yst for the reduction of a range of substituted aryl-alkyl ketones, while A n(IV) iso-propoxides (An = Th, U, Pu) are found to be inactive. U(III) was found to oxidize under the reaction conditions to a U(IV) complex, which wa s also catalytically inactive. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.