Abstract

Although many drugs currently in use are administered as racemates, there is reason to believe that the therapeutic effects of some racemic drugs reside primarily in one stereoisomer while its enantiomer may contribute to toxicity and adverse side effects (Simonyi, 1984). For example, the beta adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol [1-isopropulamino-3-(l-naphthyloxy)-2-propanol] is widely used for the treatment of angina pectoris, cardiac dysrhythmia, and hypertension. The commercial preparation (Inderal) is a racemic mixture of which only the S-(-)-enantiomer has beta adrenergic blocking activity (Howe and Shanks, 1966). The general notion that an enantiomerically pure pharmaceutical would be a better drug than the racemate demands the development of improved strategies for the synthesis of chiral compounds.

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