A total synthesis of acivicin,(aS, 5S)-a-amino-3-chloro-4, 5-dihydroisoxazole-5-acetic acid, has been achieved in 39% overall yield from a derivative of (2s)-vinylglycine. The required diastereomer was obtained in an extremely efficient manner (I 19: l) through double asymmetric induction in the reaction of a (2s)-vinylglycine derivative with a chiral, nonracemic N-glycosylnitrone derived from D-ribose. The origin of the asymmetric ...