Copper-catalyzed reduction of alkyl triflates and iodides: an efficient method for the deoxygenation of primary and secondary alcohols.

We describe an effective method for catalytic reduction of 1° alkyl sulfonates, and 1° and 2° iodides in the presence of a wide range of functional groups. This Cu-catalyzed reaction provides a means for the effective deoxygenation of alcohols, as demonstrated by the highly selective reduction of 1° alcohols using a triflation/reduction sequence. A preliminary study of the reaction mechanism suggests that the reduction does not involve free-radical intermediates.