Open-air and solvent-free ester condensation catalyzed by sulfonic acids

Ester condensation is one among the most fundamental organic transformations, and more environmentally benign alternatives to current esterification processes are needed. Under solvent-free and drying agent-free conditions, catalytic amounts of sulfonic acids promote ester condensation between an equimolar mixture of carboxylic acids and alcohols. In particular, p-toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH) and 10-camphorsulfonic acid (CSA), which have appropriate acidities, efficiently catalyze the ester condensation of secondary alcohols without their decomposition. Since the present protocol does not require solvents under simple open-air conditions, a large amount of esters can be synthesized in a rather small apparatus.