Chiral Recognition and Optical Resolution of Cyanohydrin by Complexation with Brucine

Abstract

It was found that racemic cyanohydrins [2] are converted into one optically active isomer by complexation with brucine. For example, (±)-l-eyano-2,2-dimethyl-l-phenyl-1-propanol [2a] was converted into 94%ee of (+)-[2a] in quantitative yield by complexation with brucine in methanol. Similarly, optically active cyanohydrins, (+)-[2b], (+)-[2c], (-)-[2d], (-)-[2e], (-)-[2f], (+)-[2p], and (-)-[2u] were obtained from corresponding racemic cyanohydrins. © 1987, The Chemical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.