Catalytic asymmetric acetalization of carboxylic acids for access to chiral phthalidyl ester prodrugs

Phthalidyl esters, commonly used prodrug moieties, are mostly prepared as a racemate. Here, the authors report an N-heterocylcic carbene-catalysed enantioselective acetalization of carboxylic acids and dialdehydes to give phthalidyl esters in high yields with good enantioselectivity.

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yingguo Liu, Qiao Chen, Chengli Mou, Lutai Pan, Xiaoyong Duan, Xingkuan Chen, Hongzhong Chen, Yanli Zhao, Yunpeng Lu, Zhichao Jin, Yonggui Robin Chi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2019-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09445-x