An easy and efficient method to produce gamma-amino alcohols by reduction of beta-enamino ketones

reduction of b-enamino ketones 2 with nabh4 in glacial acetic acid gave g-amino alcohols 1 in 70% to 98% yield with diastereomeric excesses, preferentially the syn product, from 44% to 90%. the stereochemistry of these compounds was confirmed by analysis of their tetrahydro-1,3-oxazine derivatives 3.