An alternative approach to (S)- and (R)-2-methylglycidol O-benzyl ether derivatives

This report describes the gram scale synthesis of (S)- and (R)-2,2,4-trimethyl-4-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolanes using the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation (AD) of the Weinreb amide of 2-methyl-2-propenoic acid. The 2-methylglycerol acetonides resultant from protection of the AD products were used as starting materials in the synthesis of O-benzyl ethers of the valuable C4-chiral building blocks (S)- and (X)-2-methylglycidol. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.