Enantioselective synthesis of β-hydroxy carboxylic acids: direct conversion of β-oxocarboxylic acids to enantiomerically enriched β-hydroxy carboxylic acids via neighboring group control

Abstract

β-Oxocarboxylic acids can be reduced to the corresponding β-hydroxy carboxylic acids employing DIP-Cl ™ as a reducing agent. The β-carboxylic substituent exerts a remarkable neighboring group effect on the reduction. The reaction presumably proceeds in an intramolecular fashion through a `rigid' bicyclic transition state assembly, which produces enantioselectivities approaching 99%.