An efficient, highly enantioenriched route to L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid via hydrolytic kinetic resolution

摘要

A general and practical approach for the synthesis of C-4 chiral building blocks using Jacobsen's hydrolytic kinetic resolution technique to resolve terminal epoxides and diols in high enantiomeric excess and excellent yields is described. The utilization of these building blocks for the synthesis of biologically important natural products L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid is illustrated.