CBS reductions with a fluorous prolinol immobilized in a hydrofluoroether solvent

A fluorous prolinol precatalyst bearing only 34 fluorine atoms has been immobilized in the hydrofluoroether solvent HFE-7500. The CBS reduction of acetophenone proceeded rapidly, in high yield and in high ee in the absence of any organic solvent. The organic product was stripped from the HFE-7500 phase with a polar solvent, and the HFE-7500 phase was reused "as is" with satisfactory results through eight runs. This process is an attractive prototype for the large-scale use, recovery, and reuse of fluorous organocatalysts. © 2008 American Chemical Society