Kinetic Resolution of the Racemic 2-Hydroxyalkanoates Using the Enantioselective Mixed-Anhydride Method with Pivalic Anhydride and a Chiral Acyl-Transfer Catalyst

A variety of optically active 2‐hydroxyalkanoates and the corresponding 2‐acyloxyalkanoates are produced by the kinetic resolution of racemic 2‐hydroxyalkanoates by using achiral 2,2‐diarylacetic acid with hindered carboxylic anhydrides as the coupling reagents. The combined use of diphenylacetic acid, pivalic anhydride, and (+)‐(R)‐benzotetramisole ((R)‐BTM) effectively produces (S)‐2‐hydroxyalkanoates and (R)‐2‐acyloxyalkanoates from the racemic 2‐hydroxyalkanoates (s‐values=47–202). This protocol directly provides the desired chiral 2‐hydroxyalkanoate derivatives from achiral diarylacetic acid and racemic secondary alcohols that do not include the sec‐phenethyl alcohol moiety by using the transacylation process to generate the mixed anhydrides from the acid components with bulky carboxylic anhydrides under the influence of the chiral acyl‐transfer catalyst. The transition state that provides the desired (R)‐2‐acyloxyalkanoate from (R)‐2‐hydroxyalkanoate included in the racemic mixture is disclosed by DFT calculations, and the structural features of the transition form are also discussed. There is no need for a sec‐phenethyl alcohol moiety to achieve high ee values in a kinetic resolution. The combined use of diphenylacetic acid, pivalic anhydride, and (+)‐(R)‐benzotetramisole effectively produce (R)‐2‐acyloxyesters and (S)‐2‐hydroxyesters (s‐values=47–202). This protocol directly provides the desired chiral 2‐acyloxyesters from racemic 2‐hydroxyesters with achiral diarylacetic acid by generating the mixed anhydrides.