Abstract A new approach to sugar synthesis is demonstrated through the synthesis of L- arabinitol. Reduction of allylic β-ketosulfoxides followed by hydroxylation of the double bond in the resulting allylic β-ketosulfoxides are the two important asymmetric steps involved in the process.
[Schomaker, Jennifer M.; Bhattacharjee, Somnath; Yan, Jun; Borhan, Babak Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2007 , vol. 129, # 7 p. 1996 - 2003]