discusses the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed redox monoacylation of 1,n-lineardiols using α-benzoyloxyaldehydes. The reactions afforded monoacylated diols in moderate to good selectivities and chemical yields. Our original NHC bearing a pyridine moiety plays an important role in achieving good chemoselectivities. A wide range of 1,n-lineardiols were successfully applied to this reaction.
Several 1,n-diols, ranging from 1,2-ethanediol to 1,16-hexadecanediol, were selectively monoacylated by transesterification in ester/octane solvent mixtures catalyzed by strongly acidic ion-exchange resins. This method of selective esterification is quite simple and practical. The selectivity for monoester formation and initial rates of monoester formation depended on the ester/octane ratio of the solvents. The reasons for the selectivity are as follows: (1) The sulfonic acid-type ion-exchange resins usually contain 50-80% water, and a strongly acidic aqueous layer is formed on the surface of the resins. (2) A partition equilibrium between the aqueous layer and the aprotic ester/octane layer is setup, and diols have higher partition coefficients than the product monoesters. (3) Acylation of the alcohols occurs in the aqueous layer and/or at the interface between the aqueous and the nonaqueous liquid layer. (4) The formed monoesters move away from the aqueous layer into the aprotic layer.
BIODEGRADABLE POLY(BETA-AMINO ESTERS) AND USES THEREOF