The cobalt-catalyzed reduction of unsaturated α-cyano carboxylic esters using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) leads to the corresponding saturated cyano alcohols in high yields. In particular, the new catalytic system cobalt(II) chloride-diisopropylamine in combination with NaBH4 showed excellent activity in the chemoselective reduction of a variety of carboxylic esters to their corresponding alcohols in