First stable α-diols and hemiketals from the α-halo pyruvamide series

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(97)00891-0

The addition of water or alcohol to 3-halopyruvamides, having a special interest in enzymology, permitted us to isolate stable α-diols and hemiketals, until then detected only by spectroscopic means. The reaction is not diastereoselective, but selective precipitation of only one diastereoisomer shifts the equilibrium between the two isomers. Isolated compounds were fully characterised and results discussed.