A-Alkylbenzyl alcohols

Resolution of a-alkylbenzyl alcohols, C6H5CH(OH)R. (S)- or (R)-l can be used to resolve alcohols such as 2 by selective formation of complexes with one enantiomer. Thus (S)-l selectively forms a 2 1 complex with the (R)-enantiomer... 

In the case of some a-alkylbenzyl alcohols like 383 and allethrobne there is a tendency in favour of the formation of the inactive racemate. Fen valeric acid chloride 384 and 3-phenoxy-a-methylbenzyl alcohol 383 produce a diastereomeric mixture, which contains twice as much inactive racemate [816] as racemate of the actual insecticide. Different kinds of reaction types produce different isomeric ratios ... 

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