D (~)-Pantoyl lactone (R (-)-dihydro-3-hydroxy-4, 4-dimethyl-2 (3H)-furanone, Dl) is an important starting compound for the chemical synthesis of D (+)-pantothenic acid. The conventional synthetic process for Dl involves synthesis of racemic 1 from isobutyraldehyde, formaldehyde, and cyanide, and then optical resolution of the rademic 1. A disadvantage of this process, apart from the use of cyanide, is the troublesome resolution of the racemic 1. ...
