Resolution, uncatalyzed

The availability of non-racemic oxepins through tandem catalytic RCM and Zr-catalyzed kinetic resolution has additional important implications. Optically pure heterocycles that carry a heteroatom within their side chain (cf. (S)-14 in Scheme 3) can be used in stereoselective uncatalyzed alkylations. The alcohol, benzyl ether or MEM-ethers derived from (S)-14 readily undergo directed [10] and diastereoselective alkylations when treated with a variety of Grignard reagents [11]. 

Catalytic kinetic resolution of amines has been a typical domain of enzymatic transformations. Attempts to use low-molecular-weight catalysts have notoriously been frustrated by the rapid uncatalyzed background reaction of the amine substrate with the acyl donor [40]. The first solution to this problem was recently developed by Fu, who used the planar chiral catalyst 21d and O-acyl azlactone 40 as the acyl donor (Scheme 12.19) [41]. In this process, the acyl transfer from the azlactone 40 to the nucleophilic catalyst 21d is rapid relative to both direct transfer to the substrate and to the transfer from the acylated catalyst to the substrate amine. Under these conditions, which implies use of low reaction temperatures, selectivity factors as high as 27 were achieved (Scheme 12.19) [41]. 

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