HETEROGENEOUS RHODIUM-CATALYZED HYDROGENATION CONDITIONS FOR THE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SYNTHESIS OF 1,3-OXAZOLIDINES FROM 1,2-AMINO ALCOHOLS ANDNITRILES

A procedure easily to carried oat for the synthesis of 1,3-oxazolidine s in high yields using 1,2-amino alcohols, nitriles, an atmospheric pr essure of hydrogen and catalytic quantities of rhodium on carbon powde r is presented. This reaction probably involves the semi-hydrogenation of the nitrile followed by condensation with the amino alcohol. The p rocess may constitute the key step in a two-step sequence for reducing a nitrile into the corresponding aldehyde. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.