Definitive Evidence for Enantioselective Catalysis over “Molecular Footprint” Catalytic Cavities Chirally Imprinted on a Silica(Alumina) Gel Surface

Abstract “Molecular footprint”-like catalytic cavities were marked on a silica(alumina) gel surface by the authors’ molecular imprinting method using a chiral mandelic acid derivative ((−)-(5R)-5-phenyl-2,4-diketo-tetrahydro-oxazole); these chirally imprinted cavities displayed distinct enantioselective catalysis on the transacylation of the corresponding substrates, N-carboxy-(R)-phenylglycine anhydrides and the (S)-isomer.