Synthetic applications of optically active cyanohydrins. Enantioselective syntheses of the hydroxyamides tembamide and aegeline, the cardiac drug denopamine, and some analogues of the bronchodilator salbutamol

The natural hydroxyamides, (−)-tembamide and (−)-aegeline, and the cardiac drug (−) -denopamine have been prepared in homochiral form in good overall yield (>65%) from para - methoxy or para-allyloxybenzaldehyde by synthetic sequences involving entantioselective hydrocyanation of the aldehydes. Similar chemistry has been used to prepare analogues of the bronchodilator (−)-salbutamol both in high yield and with good enantiomeric excess.