title: N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed amidation of unactivated esters with amino alcohols.
abstract: [reaction: see text] A catalytic amidation of unactivated esters with amino alcohols is described. A series of solution studies in addition to the first X-ray structure of a carbene-alcohol complex support a carbene-base nucleophile activation mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Movassaghi
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schmidt