Kinetic resolution of racemic aldehydes by enantioselective alkylation

Abstract

Various types of racemic aldehydes were kinetically resolved by reaction with diethylzinc in the presence of a catalytic amount of a chiral β-amino alcohol. Kinetic resolution of racemic chloro(phenyl)acetaldehyde gave an optically active form as an unchanged substrate, which could be converted into styrene oxide in high optical purity (97.5% ee).