CD-Spectroscopic Confirmation of the Absolute Configuration of a Conformationally Flexible Aldehyde Ester Containing a Quarternary Stereogenic Center

Abstract The absolute configuration of the conformationally flexible aldehyde ester methyl-2-formyl-2-(phe-nylsulfanyl)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-propanoate was determined by comparison of measured and calculated CD spectra. The spectra were calculated by means of the so-called matrix method assuming R configuration at the stereogenic center. Calculated and observed signs of the first three most intense CD bands agree. Therefore, it was concluded that the absolute configuration of the compound was also R, which is in perfect agreement with the results of an X-ray structure determination.