3- hydroxy-, Kolbe reaction oxidation

The conventional synthesis of trans-2,5-dialkyl phospholanes starting from a chiral 1,4-diol is shown in Scheme 24.1. Originally, these 1,4-diols were obtained via electrochemical Kolbe coupling of single enantiomer a-hydroxy adds [25], but this method proved to be commercially impracticable and has since been replaced by more viable biocatalytic routes [26]. Reaction of the chiral 1,4-diol with thionyl chloride followed by ruthenium-catalyzed oxidation with so-... 

---