Patent ID: 7232933

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a diol comprising the steps of: (a) Performing an addition reaction between an aldehyde of general formula R 1 C(O)H in which R 1 represents a saturated or unsaturated alkyl (having between 2 and 24 carbon atoms), cycloalkyl or aryl group which may be substituted or unsubstituted and where substituting groups may be alkyl, aryl, halogen, hydroxyl or siloxy groups, and a chiral hydroxyalkyne, in which the hydroxyl group is bound to a chiral centre of general formula R 2 R 3 C(OH)(CH 2 ) x C≡CH in which R 2 represents a saturated or unsaturated alkyl (having between 2 and 24 carbon atoms), cycloalkyl or aryl group which may be substituted or unsubstituted and where substituting groups may be alkyl, aryl, halogen, hydroxyl or siloxy groups; R 3 represents hydrogen or a saturate or unsaturated alkyl (having between 2 and 24 carbon atoms), cycloalkyl or aryl group which may be substituted or unsubstituted and where substituting groups may be alkyl, aryl, halogen, hydroxyl or siloxy groups; R 2 and R 3 are different and x is 0 to 12, in the presence of a Lewis acid, a chiral ligand capable of reaction with said Lewis acid, and a base, to produce a chiral dihydroxyalkyne and (b) Hydrogenating the chiral dihydroxyalkyne.