Synthesis of enantiomerically pure 2-amino alcohols from amino acids mediated by sulfoxides

Enantiomerically pure (R-1,S-2)- and (S-1,S-2)-2-amino alcohols can be easily synthesized by stereodivergent reduction of alpha'-(N-Boc)amino beta-keto sulfoxides (easily synthesized from readily available N-Boc amino eater hydrochlorides) with DIBAH (clr 82-92%) and DIBAH/ZnBr2 (de 80%), followed by hydrogenolysis of the C-S bond of the resulting hydroxy sulfoxides and final hydrolysis of the N-Boc protecting group. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved