Amino Alcohols in Organocatalysed Acylation and Deacylation: The Effect of Dialkylamino Substituents on the Rate

In alcohols and esters, a neighbouring dialkylamino group can enhance the reactivity towards acylation and deacylation, respectively, that is, such amino alcohols can act as transacylation catalysts like DMAP. This effect is dependent on the number of (carbon) spacer atoms, flexibility of the molecule and the presence and position of further heteroatoms. Based on this effect, the site selective acylation and deacylation of desmycosin, a macrocycle antibiotic possessing an amino sugar moiety, is described.