Cyano and nitro groups were found not to be reduced by lithium aluminum hydride on silica gel and with the use of this reagent ketones and carboxy esters bearing cyano and nitro groups were successfully converted into the corresponding cyano and nitro alcohols. ... Organic Reactions, VI, p 496, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York. ... Commercial grade silica gel (Wakogel C 300) dried at 150 – 170°C for 3 h in vacuo was used for all experiments.
