Abstract: | On the Acylation of Hydroxy- and Mercaptocarboxylic Acid Esters Using the Carbodiimide/Acylation Catalyst Method Acylation of esters of hydroxycarboxylic acids can be carried out easily and in good yields by using the carbodiimide/acylation catalyst method. The reaction has also been applied to dihydroxy- and mercaptocarboxylic acid esters. The compounds formed from certain esters of hydroxycarboxylic acids are unstable to heat and decompose easily to the free carboxylic acid. No racemization is observed when using enantiomeric hydroxycarboxylic acids. Use of racemic carboxylic acids leads to diastereomers, whose 1H-NMR shifts for characteristic protons are different as expected. Five drugs are among the carboxylic acids investigated in this context. |