Methyl 2-((benzoylamino)methyl)-3-oxobutanoate → Methyl 2-(benzamidomethyl)-3-hydroxybutanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Into a 200-ml stainless steel-made autoclave was placed 3.56 g (0.0143 mole) of methyl 2-benzamidomethyl-3-oxobutyrate. After nitrogen replacement, 7 ml of a separately prepared dichloromethane/methanol (7/1 by volume) mixed solvent solution containing 0.01 g (0.00894 mmole) of [RuI(p-Cymene)((-)-OcH-BINAP)]I as obtained in Example 5 was added. The resulting mixture was stirred at a hydrogen pressure of 50 kg/cm2 and a temperature of 65° C. for 20 hours. After the reaction, the reaction mixture was analyzed- by high-speed liquid chromatography. As a result, it was found that 2.79 g (percent yield: 78%) of methyl 2-benzamidomethyl-3-hydroxybutyrate had been formed and that the conversion was 80%, diastereomer selectivity 91.6%, and optical percent yield 99% ee.

Provenance & Evidence