Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)- and (R)-Malic Acid from Ketene and Chloral

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00365a030

Quinidine (5) catalyzes the addition of ketene (1) to chloral (2) at -50 deg C in toluene.The β-(trichloromethyl)-β-propiolactone 3 is formed virtually optically pure (98percent enantiomeric excess).A mechanism for this reaction, accounting for the high enantiomeric excess, is proposed.Known hydrolytic procedures convert the lactone 3 to malic acid (6).By proper choice of catalyst both (R)- and (S)-malic acid can be obtained optically pure.