Enantioselective synthesis of α-hydroxy carboxylic acids: Direct conversion of α-oxocarboxylic acids to enantiomerically enriched α-hydroxy carboxylic acids via neighboring group control

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(98)01162-9

α-Oxocarboxylic acids can be reduced to the corresponding α-hydroxy carboxylic acids employing DIP-CI(TM) as a reducing agent. The α-carboxylic substituent exerts a remarkable neighboring group effect on the reduction. The reaction presumably proceeds in an intramolecular fashion through a 'rigid' bicyclic transition state assembly, which produces enantioselectivities approaching 99%.