A convenient electrolytic process for the reduction of aldehydes

We report an efficient electrolytic procedure for the reduction of aldehydes to primary alcohols in the absence of dimeric products. In this promising approach, based on environmentally friendly chemical synthetic methods, a simple electrolytic undivided cell was designed. Two copper plates served as electrodes and recycled water as the medium. A 6-V battery provided the required energy. Although initially the method was intended for the preparation of 2-aryl-3-hydroxymethyl imidazo[1,2-a]azines, it was successfully extended to reduce other aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes. The attractiveness of this procedure includes its operational simplicity, practical viability, inexpensiveness and good yields. In most cases the results were better than those obtained with the standard reduction procedure using sodium borohydride.