Nickel boride, prepared from the reduction of nickel chloride hexahydrate with sodium borohydride in methanol-tetrahydrofuran, reduces benzothiophenes to alkylbenzenes and dibenzothiophenes to biphenyls. The reaction is rapid at or below room temperature and does not require protection from the atmosphere. Beat results are obtained when the nickel boride is generated in situ in the presence of the sulfur compound. Hydroxyl, carboxyl, ...