Stereoselective electrochemical carboxylation: 2-phenylsuccinates from chiral cinnamic acid derivatives.

Chiral 2-phenyl succinic ester derivatives have been obtained under mild conditions, in short times and with satisfactory yields by electrochemical reduction of chiral cinnamic acid derivatives under a CO2 atmosphere. When 4R-(diphenylmethyl)-oxazolidin-2-one was used as a chiral auxiliary the two diastereoisomers could be easily separated by flash chromatography and the R-isomer was obtained as major product.