An enantioselective and stereodivergent methodology for the synthesis
of the four isomers of beta-hydroxy norvaline is presented starting fr
om the common oxazolidin-2-one intermediate 1, via an iterative format
ion of the oxazolidin-2-one ring to achieve the stereochemical control
of the stereogenic centers. The flexibility of the present approach,
for the synthesis of several threonine analogs, lies in the ready disp
lacement of the sulfonate group in 2 with the Grignard reagents in the
presence of CuI. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.