Synthesis of optically pure 1-(2-pyridinyl)ethylamine and 4-(2-pyridinyl)-1,3-oxazolin-2-one

Several (R)-1-(2-pyridinyl)ethylamines (4) were prepared from (S)-1-(2-pyri dinyl)ethanols (L) with complete inversion of the chiral center. Substituti on of (S)-1-(2-pyridinyl)ethyl methanesulfonate (2) with sodium azide gave (R)-1-(2pyridinyl)ethyl azide (3) stereospecifically, and reduction of the azide afforded the corresponding amine (4) in good yield. When optically pu re 2-silyloxy-1-(2-piridinyl)ethanol was used, 2-silyloxy-1-(2-pyridinyl)et hylamine was obtained, and this was converted to optically pure pyridine-su bstituted 1,3-oxazolidin-2-one at the 4-position.