A concise seven-step synthesis of atropisomeric S-aryl analogues of DMAP fr
om 4-pyridone 8 has been developed. A representative compound of this class
, biaryl (+/-)-15, has been resolved using CSP HPLC and shown to be an effi
cient nucleophilic catalyst for kinetic resolution of a series of secondary
alcohols on both an analytical and preparative scale (stereoselectivity fa
ctors, s = 8.9-29).