Efficient and regioselective synthesis of 5-hydroxy-2-isoxazolines: versatile synthons for isoxazoles, beta-lactams, and gamma-amino alcohols.

An efficient and highly regioselective protocol was developed for the preparation of 5-hydroxy-2-isoxazolines, which have been proved to be versatile synthons for isoxazles, beta-hydroxy oximes, and gamma-amino alcohols. Beta-lactams, commonly embedded in the skeletons of bioactive natural products, were also synthesized in two steps from beta-hydroxy oximes, providing a new strategy for the synthesis of this kind of compounds.