CHEMOENZYMATIC PREPARATION OF ASYMMETRIZED TRIS(HYDROXYMETHYL)METHANE (THYM-STAR) AND OF ASYMMETRIZED BIS(HYDROXYMETHYL)ACETALDEHYDE (BHYMA-STAR) AS NEW HIGHLY VERSATILE CHIRAL BUILDING-BLOCKS

A series of asymmetrized tris(hydroxymethyl)methanes 2 and bis(hydroxymethyl)acetaldehydes 3 have been prepared in both enantiomeric forms through a chemoenzymatic methodology. The key step is the highly enantioselective PPL-catalyzed monohydrolysis of 2(E)-alkenyl-1,3-diacetoxypropanes 25-27. A careful study on the effect of unsaturations adjacent to the prochiral center in a series of 2-substituted 1,3-diacetoxypropanes has confirmed the suggested beneficial effect of a pi-system in that position but has also unveiled an unprecedented dramatic effect of double-bond configuration on enantioselectivity. A new empirical model for the interpretation of these and other results, based both on polarity and steric arguments, is proposed. This study provides a general protocol for the efficient synthesis of asymmetrized 1,3-propanediols bearing in position 2 saturated or unsaturated carbon chains.