Enantiopure (1R, 2S)-erythro-and (1S, 2S)-threo-isomers of four new aryl-pyrrolidyl alcohols 5aH, 5aMe, 5bH and 5bMe have been obtained in five steps from (−)-(S)-proline and fully characterized. The oxidation of alcohol 8 into aldehyde 9 was the most difficult step and racemization occurs during Swern oxidation but this difficulty can be overcome by using SO3/pyridine as oxidant. Diastereomer I of the protected amino alcohol 10a crystallized ...
