Studies towards the synthesis of (1R,2S)- and (1S,2S)-1,2-epoxy-3-hydroxypropylphosphonates and (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-2,3-epoxy-1-hydroxypropylphosphonates

The trans-configured fosfomycin analogue, diethyl (1S,2S)-1,2-epoxy-3-hydroxypropylphosphonate, was synthesised by the intramolecular Williamson reaction of diethyl (1S,2R)-1,3-dihydroxy-2-mesyloxypropylphosphonate. The cis-analogue was obtained as O-ethyl or O,O-diethyl (1R,2S)-1,2-epoxy-3-hydroxypropylphosphonates, when (1R,2R)-1,3-dihydroxy-2-mesyloxypropylphosphonate or its 3-O-trityl derivative were used as starting materials, respectively. The intramolecular Williamson cyclisations of diethyl (1S,2R)- and (1R,2S)-1-benzyloxy-3-hydroxy-2-mesyloxypropylphosphonates led to diethyl (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-2,3-epoxy-1-benzyloxypropylphosphonates, respectively, with the concomitant formation of diethyl (E)-1-benzyloxy-3-hydroxyprop-1-en-1-phosphonate. From diethyl (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-2,3-epoxy-1-benzyloxypropylphosphonates, enantiomerically pure diethyl (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-1,2-dihydroxypropylphosphonates were obtained by catalytic hydrogenation, while diethyl (1S,2S)- and (1R,2S)-3-acetamido-1,2-dihydroxypropylphosphonates were produced after epoxide ring opening with dibenzylamine, acetylation and hydrogenolysis.