An efficient synthesis of both enantiomers of Cathinone by regioselective reductive ring opening of substituted aziridines

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4020(96)00702-8

Both enantiomers of Cathinone were prepared as HCl salts from N-(R)-α-methylbenzylaziridine-2(S)-carboxaldehyde 2c and its enantiomer N-(S)-α-methyl-benzylaziridine-2(R)-carboxaldehyde 3c in high yield. This process makes it possible to prepare other aromatic and heteroaromatic analogs of Cathinone efficiently.