Process development of the sharpless catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction to prepare methyl (2R,3S)-2,3-dihydroxy-3-phenylpropionate

A typical Sharpless catalytic asymmetric dihydroxylation (ADH) process to make methyl (2R,3S)-2,3-dihydroxy-3 phenylpropionate has been successfully developed. The ADH reaction was exothermic and complete in 2-3 h without affecting the optical purity and yield. The major impurity of methyl (2R)-hydroxy-3-keto-phenylpropionate, which may seriously damage the quality of diol, has been identified and removed properly in the process.