Synthesis 2005(8): 1297-1300  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-861867
PAPER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Simplistic Expedient and Practical Synthesis of (±)-α-Lipoic Acid

Subhash P. Chavan*, K. Shivsankar, K. Pasupathy
Division of Organic Chemistry: Technology, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India
e-Mail: spchavan@dalton.ncl.res.in;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 10 November 2004
Publication Date:
09 March 2005 (online)

Abstract

Synthesis of α-lipoic acid has been achieved by a simple sequence of reactions. The synthesis highlights the use of α-chloroesters in a Reformatsky reaction. The intermediate keto acid is an intermediate from which both isomers of lipoic acid can be prepared.