(-)-β-Pinene as chiral promoter. Stereospecific access to (-)-γ-amino-β()-hydroxybutyric acid (gabob) and ()-carnitine.2

Abstract The stereochemical correlation between the ene adducts 2 and 4a and their products of alkaline hydrolysis is reported. Starting from 2, by using a degradative sequence, a stereocontrolled approach to γ-amino-β( R )-hydroxybutyric acid (GABOB) 8f and ( R )-carnitine hydrochloride 8g is described.