title: Organocatalytic asymmetric hydrolysis of epoxides.
abstract: The hydrolytic ring opening of epoxides is an important biosynthetic transformation and is also applied industrially. We report the first organocatalytic variant of this reaction, exploiting our recently discovered activation of carboxylic acids with chiral phosphoric acids via heterodimerization. The methodology mimics the enzymatic mechanism, which involves an enzyme-bound carboxylate nucleophile. A newly designed phosphoric acid catalyst displays high stereocontrol in the desymmetrization of meso-epoxides. The methodology shows wide generality with cyclic, acylic, aromatic, and aliphatic substrates. We also apply our method in the first highly enantioselective anti-dihydroxylation of simple olefins.
authors: Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser -Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany).
authors: Mattia Riccardo
authors: MR
authors: Monaco
authors: Sébastien
authors: S
authors: Prévost
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: List
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
chemical_list: D004852:Epoxy Compounds
keywords: biomimetic chemistry; carboxylysis; dihydroxylation; epoxides; organocatalysis