Direct Esterification of Carboxylic Acids with Alcohols Catalyzed by Iron(III) Acetylacetonate Complex

Direct condensation of carboxylic acids and alcohols with electronic, steric, and functional group variations was carried out using the environmentally benign, moisture-stable, inexpensive, and recoverable iron(III) acetylacetonate Fe(acac)₃] as catalyst (5 mol%). This iron salt efficiently catalyzed the esterification of several primary and secondary alcohols in refluxing xylene, without the need for a dehydration reagent. The chemoselectivity of the proposed protocol was demonstrated by the selective esterification of primary alcohol functionality in racemic 1-phenylethane-1,2-diol with benzoic acid. The esterification was also applicable to unmasked α -hydroxyacid, guasiaromatic, heterocyclic, and N-protected amino acids.

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