Boric acid catalyzes the selective esterification of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids without causing significant esterification to occur with other carboxylic acids. The procedure is simple, high-yielding, and applicable to the esterification of alpha-hydroxy carboxylates in the presence of other carboxylic acids including beta-hydroxyacids within the same molecule. [reaction: see text]

Boric acid catalyzes selective esterification of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids, providing a simple, high-yielding method for esterifying alpha-hydroxy carboxylates in the presence of other carboxylic acids.

Paper

Boric acid catalyzed chemoselective esterification of alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids.

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