We report an enantioselective approach to tertiary α-chloro esters through the reaction of silyl ketene acetals and N-chlorosuccinimide. The reaction is promoted by a chiral squaramide catalyst, which is proposed to engage both reagents exclusively through non-covalent interactions. Application of the tertiary chloride products in stereospecific substitution reactions is demonstrated.
Keywords: Asymmetric catalysis; Chlorination; Hydrogen bonding; Non-covalent interations; Organocatalysis.