Mild alkaline hydrolysis of hindered esters in non-aqueous solution
Sterically hindered esters of carboxylic acids, which are considered very resistant to saponification, were rapidly and efficiently saponified in a non-aqueous medium using NaOH in MeOH/CH2Cl2 (1:9) at room temperature. Furthermore, this reaction protocol was extended and successfully applied to the hydrolysis of tosylates and N-tosyl indoles.