R ) and ( S ) (2 benzyloxyethyl)oxirane 1 were prepared from ( S ) and ( R ) aspartic acid by modification of the procedure described by Rapoport. Aspartic acid was converted into bromosuccinic acid 2 by treatment with sodium nitrite/potassium bromide/sulfuric acid,the diacid 2 was then reduced with freshly prepared boron trifluoride ethyl ether complex to bromodiol 3, which was further treated with sodium hydride and benzylbromide/TBAI(tetrabutylammonium iodide) to afford (2 benzyloxyethyl)oxirane. This procedure has shown the good yield, mild condition and excellent enantiomeric purity of the product.
