Abstract
Some substituted trans-chalcones, crotonophenone, benzylideneacetone, and 3-phenylcyclohex-2-enone have been reduced with sodium borohydride in three solvents. In diglyme and propan-2-ol the proportion of attack at the β-carbon atom (1,4-addition) is less in the last two compounds than in the others. Reduction of the chalcones or crotonophenone in pyridine led to almost exclusive double-bond saturation. The related allylic alcohols are also reduced under these conditions. The ease of borohydride reduction of allylic alcohols appears to be connected with the ease of the base-catalysed allylic alcohol–saturated ketone rearrangements, though the allylic alcohols are stable to rearrangement in pyridine solution. An explanation is suggested.

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