Enantioselective synthesis of both enantiomers of 2-amino-2-(2-furyl)ethan-1-ol as a flexible building block for the preparation of serine and azasugars

The selective conversion of 1-(2-furyl)-2-hydroxyethan-1-one and ethyl 2-(2-furyl)-2-oxo acetate into (E)- and (Z)-oximes and oxime ethers followed by oxazaborolidine-catalyzed enantioselective reduction using different amino alcohols furnished both enantiomers of the important chiral building block 2-amino-2-(2-furyl)ethan-1-ol with an ee of up to 96%. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.