Disclosed are a borohydride reduction stabilizing system and a method for reducing an ester to an alcohol. The borohydride reduction stabilizing system includes: a borohydride reducing agent and a stabilizing agent for stabilizing the borohydride reducing agent. The borohydride reducing agent is sodium borohydride or potassium borohydride. The stabilizing agent is an alkali metal salt of an alcohol. By adding the alkali metal salt of the alcohol, such as sodium alkoxide or potassium alkoxide, on the basis of an existing sodium/potassium borohydride reducing agent, the sodium/potassium borohydride reducing agent may be kept stable without being decomposed under the condition of increased temperature, so that on the one hand, the reducing activity is maintained in a relatively high state, and the condition of excessive use is reduced, and on the other hand, the generation of hydrogen is reduced, and the process risks are reduced.

A method of reducing an aromatic ring or a cyclic, allylic ether in a compound includes preparing a reaction mixture including a compound including an aromatic moiety or a cyclic, allylic ether moiety, an alkali metal, and either ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, or a combination thereof, in an ether solvent; and reacting the reaction mixture at from 20 C. to 30 C. for a time sufficient to reduce a double bond in the aromatic moiety to a single bond or to reduce the cyclic, allylic ether moiety.

A method of reducing an aromatic ring or a cyclic, allylic ether in a compound includes preparing a reaction mixture including a compound including an aromatic moiety or a cyclic, allylic ether moiety, an alkali metal, and either ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, or a combination thereof, in an ether solvent; and reacting the reaction mixture at from 20 C. to 30 C. for a time sufficient to reduce a double bond in the aromatic moiety to a single bond or to reduce the cyclic, allylic ether moiety.