Scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate-catalyzed cleavage of esters bearing a coordinative group at a vicinal position

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.72.1553

Scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate is found to be a Lewis acid catalyst for selective cleavage of esters containing a coordinative group adjacent to an ester moiety. The reaction proceeds under weak acidic conditions at room temperature; the catalyst can be recovered and reused. Even α-acyloxy ketones are deacetylated without racemization. Selective monodeacetylation at C-10 of paclitaxel has been achieved.