A practical synthesis of ethyl ( R)- and ( S)-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutanoate and d-homophenylalanine ethyl ester hydrochloride from l-malic acid

Abstract

With the readily available l-malic acid as starting material, both enantiomers of ethyl 2-hydroxyl-4-phenylbutanoates and d-homophenylalanine ethyl ester hydrochloride were prepared conveniently in excellent optical purity and 64, 53 and 49% overall yield, respectively.