Reaction of racemic phosphinic acid derivatives with chiral alcohols proceeds with
predominant formation of one diastereomer. The highest level of enrichment has been
obtained for transesterfication of racemic methyl benzylphenylphosphinate (64% de).
The outcome of the reaction depends on both the structure of chiral alcohol and the
starting organophosphorus compound. The results strongly suggest that the nature of
the observed phenomena is not a classical equilibration of intermediates found in
dynamic kinetic resolution process but is a result of a different reactivity of both
enantiomers of racemic substrate towards the same chiral nucleophile.
Key words
phosphinic acid derivatives - transesterification - dynamic kinetic resolution - Berry
pseudorotation - stereochemistry