The New Catalyst System: Chloramphenicol Base and Organic Acid Co-catalyzed Enantioselective Alcoholysis of meso-Anhydride

In this study, the synergistic catalytic strategy was developed, which chloramphenicol base and organic acid were used in the same system, the optimal enantioselectivity value and yield (96% yield; 65% ee) was achieved using the binary co-catalyst in the asymmetric alcoholysis reaction of meso-anhydride. Moreover, a hypothetical intermediate between the substrate and the binary co-catalyst which is responsible for stereochemistry control in this catalytic reaction was proposed. In addition, the results of molecular mechanics calculations also have shed light on the corresponding catalytic mechanism.