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Product Line: Pharmaceutical Chemicals

Methyl (S)-3-hydroxyisobutanoate

CAS 80657-57-4

Molecular structure of Methyl (S)-3-hydroxyisobutanoate

CAS · 80657-57-4

01

Product Overview

Methyl (S)-3-hydroxyisobutanoate is a high-purity pharmaceutical-intermediates supplied for industrial and specialty chemical applications. Contact our team for specifications, packaging options and lead times.

02

Product Specifications

Appearance: Colorless liquid
Identification: Conform to reference spectrum
Purity (GC): 98% min
EE: 99% min
03

Applications

 

1. Chiral Building Block in Pharmaceutical Synthesis

Methyl (S)-3-hydroxyisobutanoate is a valuable chiral intermediate used in the synthesis of:

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs)

Chiral auxiliaries and catalysts

Stereochemically pure drugs, particularly those with β-hydroxy acid motifs

Commonly employed in asymmetric synthesis for introducing (S)-chirality into target molecules.

2. Intermediate in Agrochemical Synthesis

Used in the preparation of herbicides, insecticides, and plant growth regulators.

Its chiral nature helps in developing selective agrochemicals with improved biological activity and reduced toxicity.

3. Fine Chemicals and Specialty Materials

Serves as a building block in the production of flavors, fragrances, and polymeric materials.

In R&D labs, it's used for structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies and stereoselective reactions.

4. Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering

It is a metabolite or metabolic intermediate in engineered biosynthetic pathways.

Sometimes used as a substrate or precursor for the biosynthesis of hydroxy acids or polymers (like PHA).

04

Benefits

1. Chirally Pure (S)-Isomer

Provides high enantiomeric excess, important in drug synthesis where chirality can impact efficacy and safety.

Allows precise control over stereochemistry, reducing the need for costly resolution steps.

2. Versatile and Reactive Functional Groups

Contains both ester and hydroxyl functional groups, enabling multiple downstream transformations:

Ester hydrolysis or amidation

Oxidation to keto compounds

Coupling reactions with acids, amines, or alcohols

3. Readily Available and Cost-Effective

Available commercially in both research and industrial quantities.

Easier to handle than unstable acid equivalents or other chiral precursors.

4. Green Chemistry Compatibility

Compatible with enzymatic reactions and biocatalysis, offering environmentally friendly synthesis pathways.

Can be derived via biotechnological routes, increasing sustainability potential.

05

Conclusion

Methyl (S)-3-hydroxyisobutanoate (CAS 80657-57-4) is a highly useful chiral intermediate featuring both hydroxyl and ester groups. It plays a key role in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and specialty chemical synthesis, particularly when high stereoselectivity is required. Its chemical versatility and chirality make it a valuable tool for modern synthetic and medicinal chemistry, enabling the development of enantiomerically pure compounds efficiently and economically.

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