There are more methods available some of which have not been talked about by now:
I except those which for sure only work on alpha-alcohols like the Li/ammonia (Birch)and those already mentioned.
Here we go:
1. Fe(CO)5
2. Diiododimethylsilane
3. Zinc iodide/sodium cyanoborohydride
4. Triphenylsilane in trifluoroacetic acid/methylene chloride
5. Sodium borohydride/trifluoroacetic acid
1. Alper, H.; Salisova, M. J. Org. Chem. 1980, 21, 801.
(this one would 9interest me in special as I have never heard of Fe(CO)5 as reducing reagent before - very curious I am!
2. Ando W.; Ikeno M. Tetrahedron Lett. 1979, 1979.
3. Lau C. K.; Dufresne C.; Belanger C. P.; Pietre S.; Scheigetz J. J. Org. Chem. 1986, 51, 3038.
4. Olah G. H.; Tremper H. S. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1968, 90, 2578.
5. Gribble G. W.; Leese W. M.; Evans B. E. Synthesis 1977, 763.
And onto the RP/I a remark: Acetic or phosphoric acid are the solvents of choice here. The low solubility of the substrate is not really important - the reaction is heterogenous anyways and the solid substrate being where the HI is formed - at the bottom where the RP is - might even be favorable.
btw. I am rather sure that a suitable noble metal catalyst reduces ANY alcohol when trifluoroacetic acid is used as solvent and perchloric acid as moderator.
Also there was a post times ago by "chicken" AFAIK, where it was told that triethylsilane/aluminiumchloride in trifluoroacetic acid reduces aminoalcohols in yields up to 100%. No reference was given, the post has vanished like so many useful posts did.
Looking at the reagents used in the above references it seems very probable that this works. Silanes have become a mass-product in the last years, not too expensive and not watched by now. They are produced in tons over tons by Wacker-Chemie Burghausen in Germany. (thats no source, you cant buy it from them directly, but your industrial chem-supplier can do so)
ORG