Highly Efficient Kinetic Resolution of Racemic Carboxylic Acids

Abstract

Shiina and co-workers report a high­y efficient kinetic resolution of racemic α-aryl-alkanoic acids using acyl transfer Birman catalyst 1 (V. B. Birman, X. Li Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 1351) to afford optically enriched esters utilizing achiral ­alcohols (s-factor: up to 484). The obtained bis-(α-naphthyl)-methyl esters could be easily transformed into the corresponding chiral acids, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, without loss of optical purity.