A variety of aliphatic and aromatic ketoaldehydes were reduced to the corresponding ketoalcohols with a mixture of sodium borohydride (1.2 equivalents) and sodium carbonate (sixfold molar excess) in water. Reactions were performed at room temperatures over (typically) 2 h, and yields of isolated products generally ranged from 70% to 85%. A bis-carbonate-borane complex, [(BH 3 ) 2 CO 2 ] 2− 2Na + , possibly formed from the reagent mixture, is likely the active ...
