Reduction of ketones and aldehydes to alcohols with magnesium–aluminium mixed oxide and 2-propanol

The Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley (MPV) reaction allowed the successful reduction of various aldehydes and ketones by using an MgAlOx mixed oxide previously obtained from a layered double hydroxide as catalyst and 2-propanol as hydrogen donor. The reaction exhibited good yield and selectivity towards the corresponding alcohol in all cases. The results were quite consistent with a mechanism involving adsorption of the reactants on an acid–base pair in the catalyst.

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