Polyalkoxy Nitrones as Chiral Building Blocks in Asymmetric Synthesis

Optically active nitrones derived from both aldoses and dialdoses add metallated heterocycles in a stereocontrolled way depending on the nature of the Lewis acid used as a precomplexing agent of the nitrone. Further elaborations of the resulting hydroxylamines lead to the development of new synthetic methodologies for the preparation of polyalkoxy α-amino aldehydes and α-amino acids. These compounds can be used as key advanced intermediates in the synthesis of a wide range of natural products and derivatives including amino sugars, aza sugars, and complex nucleosides.