Facile Synthesis of (2R,3S)-2-Benzyloxy-3-hydroxybutyrolactone

The heterocyclic diols derived from L-dimethyl tartrate are important chiral synthons in organic synthesis. In particular, L-threosolactone and L-threosolactam structures are versatile precursors for the synthesis of biologically active molecules. Structurally, these functionalized five-membered rings contain two hydroxyl groups with R and S stereochemistry on C-2 and C-3 respectively. The preparation of (2R,3S)-2-benzyloxy-3-hydroxybutyrolactone (3) and of its derivatives, drawing upon L-dimethyl tartrate as an inexpensive chiral starting material, is described. The presented synthetic procedures are easy and effective for preparing L-threoso analogs. This protocol is also a better alternative in a large scale setup. All structures 3–6 and 8 are characterized using ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.