A Versatile Synthesis of Various Substituted Taurines from Vicinal Amino Alcohols and Aziridines

Abstract Taurine and structurally diverse substituted taurines have been synthesized by peroxyformic acid oxidation of the thiazolidine‐2‐thione intermediates generated from vicinal amino alcohols or aziridines and carbon disulfide. Thestereochemistry and mechanisms of the reactions are disscussed. The method is a salt‐free and versatile route, convenient in terms of purification, and can be used to synthesize optically active substituted taurines. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)