Selective deoxygenation of heteroaromatic N-oxides with olefins catalyzed by ruthenium porphyrin

A new convenient method of deoxygenation of heteroaromatic N-oxides is described. Ruthenium porphyrin was used as a catalyst and this method expressed high yields for o-substituted pyridine N-oxides, quinoline N-oxide derivatives, acridine N-oxide, etc, under mild conditions. Moreover, nitro-, benzyloxy-, and ketone carbonyl groups, which can be affected by the usual deoxygenation methods such as catalytic hydrogenation or borane reduction, were retained.