title: Asymmetric esterification of ketenes catalyzed by an N-heterocyclic carbene.
abstract: The chiral N-heterocyclic carbene precursor, derived from L-pyroglutamic acid, was found to be an efficient precatalyst for the enantioselective esterification of alkylarylketenes with benzhydrol to give the corresponding esters in good yields with good to high enantioselectivities (up to 95% ee).
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Na
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Xue-Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D004951:Esterification; D007659:Ketones / Q000737:chemistry*; D008697:Methane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D007659:Ketones; C030011:carbene; D008697:Methane