Asymmetric dihydroxylation of acrolein acetals: Synthesis of stable equivalents of Enantiopure glyceraldehyde and glycidaldehyde

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(92)88149-Y

Asymmetric dihydroxylation (ADH) of acrolein acetals afforded optically active glyceraldehyde equivalents. Enantiopure 3-(1,2-dihydroxyethyl)-1,5-dihydro-3H-2,4-benzodioxepine 3, a protected glyceraldehyde, was obtained from the corresponding acrolein acetal 2 by ADH and subsequent recrystallization. Enantiopure 3-(1,2-epoxyethyl)-1,5-dihydro-3H-2,4-benzodioxepine 5, a protected glycidaldehyde, was produced in two steps from 3.