Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of esters from ketenes.

By building on elementary principles of Brønsted acid-base chemistry, a nucleophile-catalyzed method for the asymmetric synthesis of esters from ketenes has been transformed into a much more versatile and effective Brønsted acid-catalyzed process. The product aryl esters can be converted into useful derivatives, such as enantioenriched alcohols and carboxylic acids.