Preparation of ethyl (R)-3-hydroxy-4-chlorobutyrate by selective reduction of (R)-4-(trichloromethyl)-oxetan-2-one: Key intermediate to (R)-carnitine and (R)-4-amino-3-hydroxybutyric acid

Abstract

Selective reduction of (R)-4-(trichloromethyl)-oxetan-2-one in ethanol by catalytic hydrogenation on Pd-C in the presence of KOAc gave directly ethyl (R)-3-hydroxy-4-chlorobutyrate, which can be used as a key intermediate for the synthesis of some biblogically active gamma-amino-beta-hydroxy amino acids, (R)-carnitine and gamma-amino-beta-hydroxy amino acid ((R)-GABOB).