CONFORMATIONAL CONTROL IN STEREOSELECTIVE CHEMICAL REACTIONS: FROM AMINO ACIDS TO IMINOSUGARS

Two alternative synthetic strategies for the synthesis of vicinal amino alcohols from naturally occurring amino acids have been investigated, viz. one going through diastereoselective addition of organometallic species to an amino aldehyde and one going through alpha'-chiral alpha, beta-enones and their diastereoselective reduction. Based on these investigations we were able to develop a synthetic strategy towards all diastereomers of deoxynojirimycin starting from naturally occurring serine through a divergent route with a late stage intermediate that can be prepared in large quantities and in enantiomerically pure form.