propyl 2-hydroxypropanoate

Conditions: temp:0.00; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: To 50 ml of benzene were added 13.0 g (100 m-mol) of propyl pyruvate, 1 mg of rhodium 1,5-cyclooctadiene chloride complex compound and 3.1 mg (0.0055 m-mol) of (2S,4S)-N-tert-butoxy-carbonyl-4-dicyclohexylphosphino-2-diphenylphosphinomethylpyrrolidine (BCPM) obtained in Example 4. An autoclave equipped with a stirrer, a pressure gauge and a thermometer was charged with the above mixture and a treatment was carried out in the same manner as described in Example 13 whereby 12.7 g (yield: 96.2%) of propyl lactate was obtained. [α]D =+10.5° (optical yield: 87%). An autoclave equipped with a stirrer a pressure gauge and a thermometer was charged with the above mixture