A Facile Enzyme Assisted Route to (R)- and (S)-t-Butyloxirane and related β-Amino Alcohols - Catalysts for the Enantioselective Addition of Dialkylzinc Reagents to Aldehydes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0957-4166(00)80338-9

(R) and (S)-t-butyloxirane <(R)- and (S)-3> have been prepared in high enantiomeric purity from racemic t-butyloxirane (+/-)-3 by an enzymatic route. (S)-3 has been used for the preparation of the chiral β-amino alcohols (R)- and (S)-1,2, which are catalysts for the enantioselective addition of dialkylzinc reagents to aldehydes.