A, 3-Dihydroxy esters

Aldol reactions of 1 and 2 can be used to obtain any one of the four possible stereoisomers of a,3-dihydroxy esters.3 Thus 1 reacts with aldehydes to provide (2S)-aldols, and 2 reacts to provide (2R)-aldols. The syn/anti ratio of the aldols can be controlled by the choice of the enolate counterion. Thus lithium or magnesium enolates provide mainly an/i-aldols, whereas 5yn-aldols predominate with zirconium enolates. Ethanolysis of the purified adducts yields the optically pure a,p-dihydroxy esters without epimerization with recovery of 8-phenylmenthol. 

If desired, glycidic esters can be derived from a,3-dihydroxy esters, such as (110), by either of two methods. In one method, reaction of the diol with an arenesulfonyl chloride is regioselective, producing the a-arenesulfonate (111) in preference to the 3-sulfbnate. Treatment of (111) with an equivalent of base produces the erythro-glycidic ester (112) in good yield. In the second method, the diol is converted to a bromohydrin (114) via the acetoxy bromide (113). The brotmhydrin (114) affords the threo-g ycidic ester (115) on exposure to potassium caitxHiate in methanol. 

O-Alkyl lactic acid esters are useful reagents for the stereoselective construction of erythro- and t/ireo-a-methyl-a,/3-dihydroxy-esters (Scheme 37). " In the case of (47), R = R = Me, the major product is erythro- (48), but when in (47), R = CH2Ph and R = 2,6-t-butyl-4-methyl, the main product is threo-(49). Yields are excellent, and the stereoselectivity is greater than 97%. Reasonable enantiomeric excesses have been achieved during a study of the Reformatsky and amide base-mediated condensations of chiral acetates with ketones. ... 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

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