Synthesis of the rarely obtained syn-adducts in the reaction of organocopper compounds with 2,3-O-isopropylideneglyceraldehyde. Preparation of optically active epoxy alcohols

Abstract

Organocopper compounds, prepared from Grignard reagents and copper(I) iodide in tetrahydrofuran-dimethyl sulphide, react with 2,3-O-isopropylideneglyceraldehyde highly stereoselectively (>10:1) affording the rarely obtained syn-addition products which can be readily converted into optically active epoxy alcohols, useful intermediates in organic synthesis.