W. Adam et al., Microscale determination of the absolute configuration of alpha-aryl-substituted alcohols by the CD exciton chirality method, J ORG CHEM, 65(1), 2000, pp. 186-190
The absolute configurations of a broad spectrum of aryl alcohols 1 have bee
n determined for the first time by the CD exciton chirality method. The con
figurational assignment is additionally verified by computer modeling and l
ipase-catalyzed acetylation of the racemic alcohols. The CD-spectroscopic d
ata have revealed that the S enantiomers of the benzoate derivatives 2 disp
lay a positive first Cotton effect and the R enantiomers a negative one at
around 228 nm. Thus, the sense of the first Cotton effect of the benzoate d
erivative 2 allows a reliable assignment of the absolute configuration of t
he corresponding alcohol 1.