Abstract
The hydrogenation of RCOCH2COR over a Raney nickel catalyst modified with a mixture of tartaric acid and NaBr gave (R*, R*-RCH(OH)CH2CH(OH)R selectively with a high optical purity. The substrates with R=CH3–, CH3CH2–, CH3CH2CH2–, CH3(CH2)4CH2–, and Ph– were employed in this study. In all cases, the recrystallization of the hydrogenation product gave an optically pure (R*,R*)-isomer which was free from the (R*,S*)-isomer.