(2S,3R)-2-Benzyloxy-3,4-epoxybutan-1-ol; A Versatile Synthetic Building Block Formally Derived From (u)-Tartaric acid

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1988-27577

The title chiral C4-building block 1, a meso-tartaric acid synthon, is prepared from dimethyl (R,R)-O,O'-benzylidenetartrate on a multigram scale.The key step is a tosylation-reduction sequence which leads to the diol 5.