The racemization and asymmetric transformation of a series of α-substituted carboxylic acids, viz. mandelic acid, hydratropic acid, ibuprofen and naproxen, were studied. Several racemization methods for mandelic acid were studied and it was found that base-catalyzed racemization in aprotic polar solvents was the most efficient method. Moreover, a fast and mild base-catalyzed racemization reaction in the melt was developed. DBN turned out to ...