Reaction SMILES: [CH2:1]([O:8][C:9]1[CH:14]=[CH:13][C:12]([CH2:15][C@H:16]([NH:21][C:22]([O:24][C:25]([CH3:28])([CH3:27])[CH3:26])=[O:23])[C:17]([O:19]C)=[O:18])=[CH:11][CH:10]=1)[C:2]1[CH:7]=[CH:6][CH:5]=[CH:4][CH:3]=1.[OH-].[Li+]>C1COCC1.CO.O>[CH2:1]([O:8][C:9]1[CH:14]=[CH:13][C:12]([CH2:15][C@H:16]([NH:21][C:22]([O:24][C:25]([CH3:28])([CH3:27])[CH3:26])=[O:23])[C:17]([OH:19])=[O:18])=[CH:11][CH:10]=1)[C:2]1[CH:3]=[CH:4][CH:5]=[CH:6][CH:7]=1
Reactant: COC(=O)[C@H](Cc1ccc(OCc2ccccc2)cc1)NC(=O)OC(C)(C)C
Agent: [Li+]
Agent: [OH-]
Solvent: O
Solvent: CO
Solvent: C1CCOC1
Product: CC(C)(C)OC(=O)N[C@@H](Cc1ccc(OCc2ccccc2)cc1)C(=O)O
Reaction time: 12 h

Procedure:
To a mixture of methyl (2S)-3-[4-(benzyloxy)phenyl]-2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)aminopropanoate (1.79 g, 4.65 mmol) in a THF/methanol/water (1/2/1, 16 ml) is added lithium hydroxide (340 mg, 13.9 mmol) and the mixture stirred at 20–25 degrees C. for 12 hours. The mixture is quenched with citric acid (10%). The resulting mixture is extracted with ethyl acetate (3×15 ml). The combined organic extracts are washed three times with water, dried over sodium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated under reduced pressure to give (2S)-3-[4-(benzyloxy)phenyl]-2-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]propanoic acid which is carried on without purification. To a −78 degrees C., stirred mixture of (2S)-3-[4-(benzyloxy)phenyl]-2-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]propanoic acid (10.0 g, 27.0 mmol) in THF (200 mL) is added NMM (3.20 mL, 29.0 mmol) and isobutyl chloroformate (3.8 mL, 29.0 mmol). The cold bath is removed, the reaction mixture is stirred for 1 hour, and then filtered. The filtrate is kept cold and used in the next step. To an ice-cold, stirred mixture of ether (110 mL) and potassium hydroxide (40%, 35 mL) is slowly added 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine (8.40 g, 57.0 mmol). The reaction mixture is stirred until gas evolution ends. The organic phase is separated and slowly added to an ice-cold, stirred mixture of the mixed anhydride filtrate from step 2. After the reaction mixture is stirred for 1 hour, nitrogen is bubbled into the mixture for 10 minutes The resulting mixture is concentrated under reduced pressure, diluted with ethyl acetate (200 mL), and washed with water (100 mL). The organic phase is washed with saturated sodium bicarbonate and saline, dried over sodium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated under reduced pressure to give the diazoketone, which is carried on without purification or characterization. To an ice-cold, stirred mixture of diazoketone in ether (100 mL) is added hydrobromous acid (48%, 4 mL, 73 mmol). The cold bath is removed, the reaction mixture stirred for 30 minutes, and partitioned between ether and water. The organic phase separated and washed with saturated sodium bicarbonate and saline, dried over sodium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated under reduced pressure to give tert-butyl (1S)-1-[4-(benzyloxy)benzyl]-3-bromo-2-oxopropylcarbamate (IV) which is used without further purification or characterization. To a −78 degrees C., stirred mixture of tert-butyl (1S)-1-[4-(benzyloxy)benzyl]-3-bromo-2-oxopropylcarbamate (IV) in a isopropanol/THF (2/1, 150 mL) is slowly added sodium borohydride (1.15 g, 30.0 mmol). The reaction mixture is stirred for 30 minutes followed by the addition of water (30 mL). The resulting mixture is warmed to 20–25 degrees C. and concentrated under reduced pressure in a water bath not exceeding 30 degrees C. The crude residue is dissolved in ethyl acetate and washed with water and saline. The organic phase is dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure to give the bromohydrin as a solid. To an ice-cold, stirred mixture of bromohydrin in ethanol (150 mL) and ethyl acetate (100 ml) is added a potassium hydroxyde (1 N) ethanol mixture (36 mL, 36 mmol). The cold bath is removed and the reaction mixture is stirred for 30 minutes. The resulting mixture is partitioned between ethyl acetate and water. The organic phase is separated and washed with saline, dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated under reduced pressure. Purification by flash chromatography (silica; hexanes/ethyl acetate, 5/1) gives tert-butyl (1S)-2-[4-(benzyloxy)phenyl]-1-[(2S)-oxiranyl]ethylcarbamate (V, as a 8/1 mixture of diastereomers), NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.44–7.32, 7.14, 6.93, 5.07, 4.45, 3.61, 3.00–2.60 and 1.39.