The reduction of carbonyl compounds by borohydride supported on a cellulose-anion exchange resin is known. The synthesis of a graft copolymer of cellulose and poly(4-vinyl pyridine) [CellO-g-poly(4-VP)] has been carried out with ceric ions as a redox initiator. A postgrafting treatment of CellO-g-poly(4-VP) with sodium borohydride has produced CellO-g-poly(4-VP) borane, a polymer-supported reducing agent. Optimum conditions pertaining to the maximum percentage of grafting have been evaluated as a function of the concentrations of the initiator, monomer, and nitric acid, amount of water, time, and temperature. The maximum percentage of grafting (585%) has been obtained with 0.927 mol/L of 4-vinyl pyridine and 0.018 mol/L of ceric ammonium nitrate in 120 min at 45 degrees C. The polymeric support, CellO-g-poly (4-VP) borane, has been used for reduction reactions of different carbonyl compounds such as benzaldehyde, cyclohexanone, crotonaldehyde, acetone, and furfural. The graft copolymer has been characterized with IR and thermogravimetric analysis. The grafted cellulose has been found to be thermally stable. The reduced products have been characterized with IR and NMR spectral methods. The reagent has been reused for the reduction of a fresh carbonyl compound, and it has been observed that the polymeric reagent reduces the compounds successfully but with a little lower product yield. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.