Use of a racemic derivatizing agent for measurement of enantiomeric excess by circular dichroism spectroscopy

Enantiomeric excesses of several alcohols and an amine have been determined by derivatization with racemic 2'-methoxy-1,1'-binaphthyl-2-carbonyl chloride rac-1, with no requirement for kinetic resolution in the acylation step. The necessary information is provided instead by CD and UV spectra of the derived esters and amides, the chiral signal being dominated by the binaphthyl component. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.