ethyl 3-bromo-2-hydroxypropanoate

Conditions: temp:90.01; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: To a solution of ethyl 3-bromo-2-hydroxypropanoate (22.1 g, 112.0 mmol) in EtOH/H2O (1:1) was added sodium azide (10.9 g, 168.0 mmol). The reaction was stirred and heated to 90° C. for 3 days. The EtOH was removed in vacuo and the remaining aqueous solution was extracted with CHCl3 several times. The combined organic extracts were dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated in vacuo to afford the azide as an orange oil. 1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δ 5.96 (d, J=5.6 Hz, 1H), 4.31-4.28 (m, 1H), 4.19-4.08 (m, 2H), 3.51-3.40 (m, 2H), 1.28-1.17 (m, 3H). The EtOH was removed in vacuo the remaining aqueous solution was extracted with CHCl3 several times The combined organic extracts were dried over Na2SO4 concentrated in vacuo

Conditions: temp:0.01; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: To a solution of sodium cyanoborohydride (17.72 g, 282.0 mmol) in anhydrous MeOH (160 mL) under an atmosphere of nitrogen was added ethyl bromopyruvate (32.25 mL, 256.4 mmol, 80-85%) in anhydrous MeOH (160 mL). The mixture was treated with 1N HCl in diethyl ether to pH 4 and stirred for 1 h at 0° C. The solvent was removed in vacuo, and the resulting slurry was partitioned between diethyl ether and saturated aqueous NH4Cl solution. The aqueous layer was extracted several times into diethyl ether, and the organic extracts were combined, dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated to a pale yellow oil. The oil was diluted with diethyl ether (300 mL) and chilled to −78° C. for 1 hour. The resulting precipitate was collected by filtration to afford the alcohol as a white solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, d6-DMSO) δ 5.99 (dd, J=1.2, 6.0 Hz, 1H), 4.43-4.39 (m, 1H), 4.21-4.08 (m, 2H), 3.69 (d, J=0.8 Hz, 2H), 1.23-1.18 (m, 3H). The solvent was removed in vacuo the resulting slurry was partitioned between diethyl ether and saturated aqueous NH4Cl solution The aqueous layer was extracted several times into diethyl ether dried over Na2SO4 concentrated to a pale yellow oil The oil was diluted with diethyl ether (300 mL) chilled to −78° C. for 1 hour The resulting precipitate was collected by filtration