(S)-(-)-1,2,4-Butanetriol can be prepared via reduction of (S)-malic acid in the presence of borane-dimethyl sulfide. (S)-(-)-1,2,4-Butanetriol may be used as a starting material in the enantioselective total syntheses of (+)-azimine and (+)-carpaine. It can also be used to prepare the organic building blocks (+)-3,4-epoxy-1-butanol, (2S,4S)-4-(hydroxymethyl)-2-ferrocenyl-1,3-dioxan, (S)-1,2,4-triacetoxybutane via acetylation with acetic anhydride, and (S)-1,2,4-tris-(3,5-dinitrobenzoy1oxy)butane via esterification with 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride, and so on.
