EASY PREPARATION OF ENANTIOPURE C-2-SYMMETRICAL AMINOALCOHOLS DERIVEDFROM M-XYLYLENE DIAMINE

The title compounds were prepared by condensation of isophthaldehyde w ith chiral amino alcohols or alpha-amino esters in three different way s depending on the substitution pattern. These methods are: for N-subs tituted amino alcohols, by reduction of the epimeric mixtures of 1,3-o xazolidines formed in the condensation process; for unsubstituted ones , by reduction of the corresponding hydroxy imines, followed by N-alky lation; and for the imines obtained in the condensation with amino eat ers, by sequential reduction and reaction with methylmagnesium iodide.