In connection with our project directed toward the design and synthesis of high-performance ferroelectric liquid crystals, we have developed a generally applicable synthetic route to chiral nonracemic aryl cyanohydrin ethers. The synthesis is illustrated herein by preparation of the arylbenzoate 1 (R,= n-decyl, Rz= n-pentyl), which results in a straightforward manner from benzoylation of the key phenol intermediate 7. Phenol 7 derives from Mitaunobu ...
