Chemospecific Preparation of Both Enantiomers of α‐Terpinyl Trifluoroacetate

Abstract

(R)‐ and (S)‐α‐Terpinyl trifluoroacetate can easily be prepared in 56–64% yield and high ee by the reaction of (R)‐ and (S)‐limonene with trifluoroacetic acid in cyclohexane. The products were fully characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, IR and MS and theirs Chiral‐HRGC analysis showed there is no loss of optical activity during the reaction.

Keywords:

• Limonene
• p‐Menthenes
• Terpinyl trifluoroacetate

Acknowledgment

AMS thanks CNPq for a fellowship.

Notes

^aThe purity of α‐terpinyl trifluoroacetate (>99%) was checked by comparison of its analytical data with the previously reported (4) as well as by co‐injection in HRGC with two chromatographic columns of different polarities (CARBOWAX and RTX‐5) that showed only one peak.