Absolute configuration of a chiral proton sponge

By the spontaneous resolution of racemic compound 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-2-(α-hydroxy-α-phenylethyl)naphthalene (±)-1, enantiomer (–)-1 was obtained; its treatment with C₅H₅N·HBr resulted in the formation of proton sponge (–)-2; the absolute configurations of (R)-(–)-2 and, as a consequence, (R)-(–)-1 were determined by XRD analysis.