Radical Decarboxylative Alkylation of Tartaric Acid.

Abstract New derivatives of L-(+)-tartaric acid have been synthesized from the monomethyl-2,3-O-isopropylidene (R,R)-(+)-tartrate by visible light photolysis of its N-hydroxy-2-thiopyridone ester derivative in presence of activated alkenes. The carbon radical generated at the dioxolane ring adds stereoselectively to olefins to give the addition products with retention of configuration.