Water → (2R)-2-Hydroxy-2,3,3-trimethylbutanoic acid

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Reaction Steps

Sodium chlorite (1.81 g, 20 mmol) and sulfamic acid (1.94 g, 20 mmol) were added in succession to a stirred solution of (R)-2,3,3-trimethyl-2-hydroxybutanal (2.0 g, 15.4 mmol) in 30 ml of tetrahydrofuran-water (1:1) at 0° C. The mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature, stirred for 30 minutes, diluted with methylene chloride and about 1 ml of methyl sulfide was added followed by a small quantity of water. The organic layer was separated, the aqueous layer was extracted with methylene chloride, and the combined organic layer was dried (magnesium sulfate) and concentrated to afford a yellow gummy solid. Recrystallization from hexanes afford 1.45 g of (R) -2,3,3-trimethyl-2-hydroxybutanoic acid as a pale solid.

Provenance & Evidence