title: A novel iodide-catalyzed reduction of nitroarenes and aryl ketones with H3PO2 or H3PO3: its application to the synthesis of a potential anticancer agent.
abstract: A novel iodide-catalyzed reduction method using hypophosphorous and/or phosphorus acids was developed to reduce both diaryl ketones and nitroarenes chemoselectively in the presence of chloro and bromo substituents in high yield. This efficient and practical method has been successfully applied to a large scale production of a potential anticancer agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Process Chemistry, Merck Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 2000, 126 East Lincoln Avenue, Rahway, New Jersey 07065, USA. george.wu@merck.com
authors.forename: George G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Frank X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: LaFrance
authors.forename: Zhijian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Scott G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Yee-Shing
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D002384:Catalysis; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000737:chemistry*; D007454:Iodides / Q000737:chemistry*; D007659:Ketones / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010721:Phosphinic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D010756:Phosphoric Acids / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D007454:Iodides; D007659:Ketones; D010721:Phosphinic Acids; D010756:Phosphoric Acids