A process is provided whereby organic carbonyl substrates, including esters, ketones and amides, are reduced in a reaction with a silane reducing reagent and a catalyst. Effective catalysts broadly include those which consist of a group 4, 5 or 6 metal which either: a) is in less than its maximum oxidation state or is capable of being converted to a complex in less than its maximum oxidation state; and/or is a group 4, 5 or 6 metal hydride. Exemplary catalysts include titanium-containing catalysts such as (bis trimethylphosphine) titanocene, trimethyl phosphine adduct of a (hydrido) silyl complex of titanocene, titanocene dichloride and titanocene monochloride.