Controlled racemization and asymmetric transformation of α-substituted carboxylic acids in the melt

The racemization and asymmetric transformation of a series of cx substituted carboxylic acids, viz. mandelic acid, hydratropic acid, ibuprofen and naproxen, were studied. Several racemization methods for mandelic acid were studied and it was found that base-catalyzed racemization in aprotic polar solvents was the most efficient method. Moreover, a fast and mild base-catalyzed racemization reaction in the melt was developed. DBN turned out to be a very efficient racemizing base for the substrates studied. Combination of the base-catalyzed racemization in the melt with known resolution processes resulted in crystallization-induced asymmetric transformations. Treating racemic ibuprofen or hydratropic acid with 1.5-2.5 equivalents of enantiopure alpha-methylbenzylamine and a catalytic amount of DBN resulted in the isolation of enantiomerically enriched ibuprofen or hydratropic acid with ees of up to 75% and almost quantitative yields. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.