Microwave-assisted Reduction of Ketones Using Decaborane in Aqueous Solution

The reduction of ketones to secondary alcohols is an essential reaction in organic chemistry, and various reagents are utilized for this purpose. Herein, we have reported the reduction of ketone using decaborane in conventional as well as microwave-assisted methods in aqueous solution. Different types of aromatic ketones containing distinct functional groups were analyzed. We observed that ketones having an electron-withdrawing group showed a faster reaction rate with higher yield as compared to the ketones with electron-donating groups. Additionally, a comparison between microwave- assisted and conventional synthesis was done by evaluating the total reaction time and percentage yield. The results indicate that microwave-assisted syntheses lead to higher yields within very short reaction times.