NMR determination of the absolute configuration of β-chiral primary alcohols

β-Chiral primary alcohol was derivatized to an ester by the use of a new axially chiral reagent, 2′-methoxy-1,1′-binaphthalene-8-carboxylic acid (MBCA). The absolute configuration of the original β-chiral primary alcohol was determined by the NOE correlation between the proton signals of the reagent moiety and those of the β-chiral primary alcohol in the ester.