Ligand-assisted rate acceleration in lanthanum(III) isopropoxide catalyzed transesterification of carboxylic esters.

The transesterification of an equimolar mixture of carboxylic esters and primary (1°), secondary (2°), and tertiary (3°) alcohols in hydrocarbon solvents was promoted with high efficiency by a lanthanum(III) complex, which was prepared in situ from lanthanum(III) isopropoxide (1 mol %) and 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol (2 mol %). The present La(III) catalyst was highly effective for the chemoselective transesterification in the presence of competitive 1°- and 2°-amines. Remarkably, esters were obtained in good to excellent yields as colorless materials without an inconvenient workup procedure.