Practical Enantioselective Synthesis of a 3-Aryl-3-trifluoromethyl-2-aminopropanol Derivative

Development of a large-scale enantioselective synthesis of a lead compound containing a 3-aryl-3-trifluoromethyl-2-aminopropanol core is described. A single isomer of 3,3-disubstituted acrylic acid derivative was prepared via Perkin condensation or Horner−Wadsworth−Emmons olefination, followed by hydrolysis. The acid was converted to a chiral acryloxazolidinone derivative. Hydrogenation of the latter on Pd/C in the presence of MgBr₂ proceeded via a chelation-controlled conformation to yield the desired isomer with high selectivity. Subsequent Evans azidation, hydrogenation, reductive cleavage of the chiral auxiliary, and sulfonylation afforded the target compound as a single isomer in high overall yield.