Patent ID: 7060840

Claim:
A method of preparing a chiral, non-racemic dicarboxylic acid monoester from a prochiral cyclic anhydride, wherein said prochiral cyclic anhydride comprises at least two chiral centers, and an internal plane of symmetry or point of symmetry or both, comprising the step of: reacting a prochiral cyclic anhydride, wherein said prochiral cyclic anhydride comprises at least two chiral centers, and an internal plane of symmetry or point of symmetry or both, with a primary alcohol in the presence of a chiral, non-racemic tertiary amine catalyst, selected from the group consisting of DHQD-PHN, (DHQD) 2 AQN and (DHQ) 2 AQN, thereby producing a chiral, non-racemic dicarboxylic acid monoester; wherein said chiral, non-racemic tertiary amine catalyst is present in less than about 30 mol % relative to the prochiral cyclic anhydride.