Diastereomer-Differentiating Hydrolysis of 1,3-Diol-Acetonides:  A Simplified Procedure for the Separation of syn- and anti-1,3-Diols

[reaction: see text] A new method to facilitate the separation of diastereomeric syn- and anti-1,3-diols is described. The method relies on the different hydrolysis rates of the corresponding diastereomeric acetonides. Treatment of a dichloromethane solution of syn- and anti-1,3-diol-acetonide with a catalytic amount of diluted aqueous hydrochloric acid leads to the selective cleavage of the anti diastereomer. The resulting anti-1,3-diol can be easily separated from the unchanged syn-1,3-diol-acetonide.