Abstract Racemic hydrogen butanedioates (IIa, IIb) and hydrogen pentanedioates (IIIa, IIIb), prepared by reaction of racemic Corey alcohols Ia, Ib with the corresponding acid anhydride, were resolved by optically active bases [(1R, 2S)-(-)-ephedrine,(S)-(-)-1-phenylethylemine, quinine] to give the optically pure diastereoisomeric salts from which the individual enantiomers of hydrogen butanedioate IIa and IIb and hydrogen pentanedioate IIIa and ...