Convenient synthesis of 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosose and 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosamine: two key intermediates on the biosynthetic pathway to aminoglycoside antibiotics

2-Deoxy-scyllo-inosose 1 and 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosamine 2 are two of the key intermediates on the biosynthetic pathway to 2-deoxystreptamine-containing aminoglycoside antibiotics. Convenient syntheses of 1, 2 and tritium-labelled 2 via stereoselective deoxygenation of myo-inositol using LTBH are reported. This should provide the substrates necessary for characterising the enzymes involved on the biosynthetic pathway.