[palauamine89]

Does Luche reduction of cyclohexenone give selectively the pseudoequatorial alcohol?

And if it does, is it because of lower gauche interactions in the resulting half-chair conformer or something else?

[discodermolide]

Does Luche reduction of cyclohexenone give selectively the pseudoequatorial alcohol?

And if it does, is it because of lower gauche interactions in the resulting half-chair conformer or something else?

yes and yes

[Doc Oc]

Actually, Luche reductions are not stereoselective in the absence of another controlling factor such as another stereocenter or a rigid cyclic structure that blocks one face of the ketone.  This has been demonstrated in many syntheses.

[MissPhosgene]

Isn't it stereoselective in that the ring conformation determines the product spread?

I may be misunderstanding what you guys are saying.