Polyalkoxy nitrones as chiral building blocks in asymmetric synthesis

Optically active nitrones derived from both aldoses and dialdoses add metal lated heterocycles in a stereocontrolled way depending on the nature of the Lewis acid used as a precomplexing agent of the nitrone. Further elaborati ons of the resulting hydroxylamines lead to the development of new syntheti c methodologies for the preparation of polyalkoxy a-amino aldehydes and alp ha-amino acids. These compounds can be used as key advanced intermediates i n the synthesis of a wide range of natural products and derivatives includi ng amino sugars, aza sugars, and complex nucleosides.