Potassium Carbonate → (4R,5R)-2,2-dimethyl-4-hydroxymethyl-5-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]-1,3-oxazolidine

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

(2S,3R)-Ethyl-2-amino-3-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]-3-hydroxy-propanoate (Compound IV) (100 g, 0.3480 moles) in 500 mL of methanol reacts with potassium borohydride (28.2 g, 0.5220 moles) over 4-8 hours at 50-60° C. to quantitatively yield (1R,2R)-2-amino-1-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]-1,3-propandiol (Compound VII: R1 is methylsulfonyl) (85.36 g, 0.3480 moles) in solution. Toluene (500 mL) and acetone (500 mL) replace methanol which distills off. Addition of potassium carbonate (6.9 g, 0.0696 moles) with heating at 75-85° C. for 12-18 hours yields (4R,5R)-2,2-dimethyl-4-hydroxymethyl-5-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]-1,3-oxazolidine (Compound VIII: R1 is methylsulfonyl and R2 and R3 are methyl). Addition of potassium carbonate (19.0 g, 0.1914 moles) and acetyl chloride (30.0 g, 0.3828 moles) at 20-25° C. for 2-4 hours then addition of water (500 mL) precipitates the crude product. Filtration, washing with water (250 mL) then drying yields (4R,5R)-3-acetyl-2,2-dimethyl-4-hydroxymethyl-5-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]-1,3-oxazolidine (Compound II).

Provenance & Evidence