Palladium‐Catalyzed Reduction of Carboxylic Acids to Aldehydes with Hydrosilanes in the Presence of Pivalic Anhydride

A palladium catalyst system that allows the reduction of carboxylic acids to the corresponding aldehydes with hydrosilanes as reducing agent and pivalic anhydride as an indispensable reagent has been developed. A simple mixture of commercially available bis(dibenzylideneacetone)palladium(0) [Pd(dba) 2 ], tri( para ‐tolyl)phosphane and methylphenylsilane realized the reduction of various aliphatic carboxylic acids as well as benzoic acids to aldehydes in good to high yields.