A Mild Chemoselective Ru-Catalyzed Reduction of Alkynes, Ketones, and Nitro Compounds

The chemoselective reduction of alkyne, ketones, or nitro groups using (Ph₃P)₃RuCl₂ as an inexpensive catalyst and Zn/water as a stoichiometric reductant is reported. Depending on the nature of the additive and the temperature, good chemoselectivities were observed allowing, e.g., for the selective reduction of a nitro group in the presence of a ketone or an alkyne.