Mandelonitrile, catalytic formation

Further evidence for the formation of intermediate compounds in catalytic reactions is afforded by the observation (a) that optically active camphor is formed from optically inactive (racemic) camphor carboxylic acid in the presence of the d- or /-forms of quinine, quinidine or nicotine and (6) that optically active bases, e.g., quinidine, catalyze the synthesis of optically active mandelonitrile from benzaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid.10 These results hardly admit of any other interpretation than the intermittent production of a catalyst-reactant compound. 

There has been a lot of discussion about the mechanism of the catalytic step. The high ee (90%) of mandelonitrile formation through this cyclic catalyst (acyclic... 

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