Simple approach to 1-O-protected (R)- and (S)-glycerols from l- and d-arabinose for glycerol nucleic acids (GNA) monomers research

5-O-Protected (-Tr, -Sitert-BuPh2) d- and l-arabinofuranoses easily available in multigram quantities were converted to (S)- and (R)-1-O-protected glycerols, respectively, via oxidation (NaIO4) and reduction (NaBH4). Sources of chirality in the targets are the C4 atoms in the substrates. This stereospecific procedure permits a very simple access to both enantiomeric 1-O-protected glycerols for GNA monomers work.