Chiral cobalt-catalyzed enantioselective aerobic oxidation of α-hydroxy esters

Article abstract of DOI:10.1039/c0cc01917h

A chiral cobalt-catalyzed enantioselective aerobic oxidative kinetic resolution of (±)-α-hydroxy esters, using molecular oxygen as a sole oxidant, is reported and a maximum of selectivity factor (s) 31.9 was achieved with >99% enantiomeric excess for unreacted α-hydroxy esters.