CHIRAL ACETATE ENOLATE EQUIVALENT FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF β-HYDROXY ACIDS AND ESTERS: X-RAY CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF RR,SS-5-C5H5)Fe(CO)(PPh3)(COCH2CH(OH)CH2CH3)>

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(85)87369-1

The aluminium anolate derived from the iron acetyl complex <(η⁵-C5H5)Fe(CO)(PPh3)COCH3>, in contrast to the lithium enolate, undergoes highly strereoselective aldol reactions with aldehydes to generate RR,SS-β-hydroxyacyl complexes which on decomlexation liberate β-hydroxy acids or esters.Determination of the molecular structure of RR,SS-<(η⁵-C5H5)Fe(CO)(PPh3)(COCH2CH(OH)CH2CH3> allowed assignment of the relative configuration of the new chiral centre.