Silica gel-supported bis-cinchona alkaloid: a chiral catalyst for the heterogeneous asymmetric desymmetrization of meso-cyclic anhydrides

A one-pot conversion of meso-cyclic anhydrides with alcoholysis in diethyl ether using SGS-(DHQ)2AQN 4, a silica gel-supported chiral catalyst, into the corresponding desymmetrized mono ester acids was achieved with enantiomeric excesses of up to 84% under mild and efficient conditions.