Boric acid catalyzed chemoselective esterification of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids.
Boric acid catalyzes the selective esterification of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids without causing significant esterification to occur with other carboxylic acids. The procedure is simple, high-yielding, and applicable to the esterification of alpha-hydroxy carboxylates in the presence of other carboxylic acids including beta-hydroxyacids within the same molecule. [reaction: see text]
Houston
Todd A
TA
School of Science, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia. t.houston@griffith.edu.au
Wilkinson
Brendan L
BL
Blanchfield
Joanne T
JT